Tugger – Tugger: The Jeep 4×4 Who Wanted to Fly (2005)

Directed by: Jeffrey James Varab | 65 minutes | animation, family | Original voice cast: James Belushi, Scott ‘Carrot Top’ Thompson, Bridget Hoffman, Lance LeGault, Tom Kinney, Peter Renaday, Wendy Cutler, Robert Clotworthy, Steve Bulen, Newell Alexander, Gary Bosco, Riff Hutton, Edie Mirman, Michael Sorich | Dutch voice cast: Johnny Kraaijkamp Jr.

In this more American than American animated film, we meet Tugger, a 4×4 Jeep that served in World War II as a means of transport for the American soldiers who ensured that the world’s population can enjoy their freedom… In a short – with simple drawings illustrated – introduction the history of these jeeps and in particular that of Tugger is explained. Tugger did a good job during the war, but unfortunately gets damaged. However, an inventive mechanic decides to replace the broken part with an airplane propeller. As a result, the jeep is one step closer to realizing his dream: Tugger would like to fly!

After the war, Tugger finds a new home base: a small airport, where he befriends Shorty, a radio. He makes himself useful by having aircraft taxi safely onto the runway and escorting them to the hangar. Surrounded by planes, Tugger continues to hope that one day he will be able to explore the skies again. As befits dreamers, Tugger is disbelieved by one half and encouraged by the other half of his environment. Mom and Dad, for example, two old-fashioned gas pumps at the airport, are constantly bickering with each other about what to do with Tugger. Shorty often tries to dampen his friend’s enthusiasm, but eventually sees that it’s not wrong to keep hoping that dreams will one day come true.

‘Tugger’ is very nicely animated at times; at other times the scenes are extremely rushed. Unfortunate! The dream sequence – with bright colors – seems to be inspired by Walt Disney, and the moral of the story could also have come from that studio. That is not very strange, by the way, director Jeffrey James Varab worked on ‘The Fox and the Hound’ (‘Frank and Frey’) and ‘Mulan’ (1998) as a character and supervising animator respectively). One of the four (!) screenwriters worked on ‘Brother Bear’, for the other three writers ‘Tugger’ marked their debut. The story presented to the young viewer is therefore very meager. Tugger’s life story could easily be told in a short episode à la “Thomas the Steam Locomotive” or “Bob the Builder”, but the story is regularly stretched. For adults there are a number of details that will not be noticed by the youth: For example, Shorty is called that because he is a shortwave radio. Furthermore, the meaning of the posters on the wall and the whole war background will pass by to toddlers. For the adults watching there isn’t much that will hold their attention, but for children the film is harmless entertainment.