Playmobil: The Movie – Playmobil: The Movie (2019)

Directed by: Lino DiSalvo | 99 minutes | animation, family | Actors: Anya Taylor-Joy, Gabriel Bateman | Dutch voice cast: Sander van de Pavert, Ruben Nicolai, Jandino Asporaat, Rutger Vink, Shelley Vol, Sarah Nauta, Nikkie de Jager, Dante Nauta, Sarah Nauta | Original voice cast: Jim Gaffigan, Daniel Radcliffe, Meghan Trainor, Adam Lambert, Kenan Thompson, Kirk Thornton, Dan Navarro, Maddie Taylor, Cindy Robinson, Mariah Inger, Ian James Corlett, Christopher Corey Smith, Karen Strassman, Paul Hurwitz

When assessing ‘Playmobil: The Movie’ (‘Playmobil: The Movie’), it is almost impossible not to also look at toy competitor Lego, which surprised everyone in 2014 with ‘The Lego Film’ (‘The Lego Movie’). The two toy giants have been in each other’s way from the start and that is reflected in the films they release. Sometimes the German toy brand is a little earlier with bringing a theme to the market than Lego, but faster isn’t always better. The first Playmobil film, for example, was a dragon of a film that was much better off going back to the drawing room; ‘Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers’ came on the market later, but was much more digestible (the Lego Bionicle movies were even earlier, but these were for a much smaller audience).

The producers of ‘Playmobil: The Movie’ were not in much haste after the success of ‘The Lego Movie’, which undoubtedly projected the dollar signs onto the makers’ retinas. The bad news is that time hasn’t led to a better movie. The director’s switch (initially Bob Persichetti would be in charge) may have been promising (DiSalvo worked for Disney for sixteen years, including ‘Rapunzel’ (‘Tangled’) and ‘Frozen’), but animated films ran over the top of cinemas. ultimately not warm for ‘Playmobil: The film’. Would that have been different if it had been a good movie? Undoubtedly: the brand is still rock solid and is synonymous with quality and durability. Too bad that line didn’t extend to the film.

Just like ‘The Lego Movie’, ‘Playmobil: The Movie’ contains a frame story, but in this film this is clear from the start. In the live-action scenes that start the film, we get to know Marla (Anya Taylor-Joy). She has just graduated from high school and wants to take a year off to experience adventures and travel. But then her world and that of her six-year-old brother Charlie collapse: her parents are killed in an accident. A traumatic event, but this children’s film lightly jumps over it by continuing the story four years later. And so this film is already one-zero behind.

Marla appears to have grown up in one fell swoop due to the loss of her parents. She feels responsible for her brother and having fun is no longer an option. When Charlie (now ten years old) takes a break one day, he turns out to have ended up at a large Playmobil exhibition – not coincidentally still his favorite toy. Marla wants to go get him, but due to an unexplained event, the two – as Playmobil dolls – end up in an animated world. Charlie is suddenly a tough Viking, Marla still looks a bit like herself. It doesn’t take long for the two to lose each other and then Marla has to do everything she can to save her brother.

Visually, ‘Playmobil: The Movie’ looks quite nice. There is enough attention to details and the toys look attractive enough to understand why children like to play with them. It’s the story – especially the emotional side of it – where things go wrong. Couldn’t another – less drastic – situation have been sketched through which Marla lost her childishness and adventurousness? That the death of the two parents is so easily stepped over is unacceptable. The fact that you can apparently suddenly change into a Playmobil doll, and have to survive in this world, is also accepted after a few seconds.

That “Playmobil: The Movie” tackles the various themes of the toys to propel the story forward was expected and less disturbing than you might think. Of course Marla comes into contact with Vikings, pirates, secret agents, dinosaurs and the Wild West. There is hardly time for a breather and there are even songs in it (which – I have to say – are quite fun). All this means that ‘Playmobil: The film’ only offers fun for the non-critical target group of roughly 4 to 9 years old.