Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin
By Jane Louise BoursawAverage User Rating:
MPAA Rating: G
Life is pretty carefree in the Hundred Acre Wood, especially when Christopher Robin joins in the fun. But when autumn arrives, the boy needs to hit the books at school and can’t figure out how to tell his best pal Pooh. The pair decide they’ll be friends forever, but the tired bear doesn’t quite get the message when Christopher Robin says, “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
So Christopher Robin ends up leaving Pooh a note, which Owl deciphers to mean that the boy has gone to a mysterious place called Skull (which of course means School)! Pooh immediately launches a rescue mission with the help of Rabbit, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet. The friends soon get lost and end up fighting over the map Owl drew for them, then wander into a cave-like place and get spooked, thinking a “Skullasaurus” is going to gobble them up.
Christopher Robin eventually finds them, and they all climb out of the “cave,” realizing how small it really is and how things become larger when you’re scared.
Fans of classic Pooh capers like “The Blustery Day,” “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree,” and “A Day for Eeyore” will love this movie, originally released in theaters in 1997. Sure, we’ve seen the plot before – furry friends go on a quest, conquer their fears, and learn about their inner strengths. But it’s a kids’ movie, so these are all good things. And I doubt that your little ones will care if the animation isn’t as stellar as some of the newer family movies coming out. Cute songs, innocent fun, and good writing make this a winner for the preschool crowd.
Of the cast, only John Fiedler (Piglet) and Paul Winchell (Tigger) reprise their characters from previous Pooh stories, but the new voices are great, including Jim Cummings as Pooh and Ken Sansom as Rabbit.
DVD EXTRAS:
- Animated short: “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day” (1968 Academy Award Winner for Best Animated Short). Rated G. Pooh and his friends experience high winds, heavy rains, and a flood in the Hundred Acre Wood.
- Interactive game: Adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood. This family-friendly feature has multiple levels and adventures, including “Where is Christopher Robin,” “Pooh's Honey Pot,” “Piglet's Tree Troubles,” “Tigger's Hide and Go Bounce,” “Eeyore's Fallen House,” and “Rabbit's Carrot Pulling Problem.”
- Pooh's Symphony: Learn how the music of Winnie the Pooh is used to help tell this grand story.
PRE-SCHOOLER (ages 2-5): While this movie is clearly aimed at preschoolers, there are a few scary scenes that might frighten sensitive kids. It starts out wonderfully with a great scene and song about friendship between Pooh and Christopher Robin, but most of the movie is spent looking for the boy. During this time, the Hundred Acre Wood is presented as a dark and scary place, and the tone gets a bit gloomy, especially when a despondent Pooh sings a sad song. But these scenes do help move the plot along, and it begins and ends on a happy note. It’s a bit long at 70 minutes, but the narrator’s voice is entertaining and calming without being overbearing.
GRADE-SCHOOLER (ages 6-10): Six- and seven-year-olds are about the top limit for this movie, as the plot and animation are probably going to be too simplistic for older kids. One plus is that it’s a good way to discuss how children go off to school in the fall.
TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): Yes, some older kids and adults still love Pooh! And this is a great babysitting movie.
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries.
