![]() ![]() Producer / executive producer: Cosgrove Hall Films / producer: Mackinnon & Saunders (72 episodes, 2003-2016) Original television series producer / producer / based upon the original television series produced by / based on the original television series designed and produced by (84 episodes, 1981-2013) (originally developed for television by) (1 episode, 2005) (based on the stories by) (1 episode, 2005) (based on the original series written by) (5 episodes, 2004-2008) (based upon the original series written by) (6 episodes, 2008) Postman Pat: The Movie comes out in the UK on 23 May.(original series) (58 episodes, 2003-2013) But the final film just isn’t satisfying enough. As it stands, the ingredients are certainly here for a good Postman Pat film, and Mangan’s tones effortlessly breathe warmth into the character. And the fault for that? It’s in a screenplay that feels like it really could have used a good deal more work. It’s best to file this one as a valiant effort that doesn’t quite work, in truth. But the crucial problem is that, after a good opening third or so, the film loses its way, and never really finds it again. For the very young, 90% of it hits the mark too, save for the scarier moments, although we suspect the majority of five year olds will cope with those perfectly well. Mangan’s voice fits well, there are a couple of good jokes, and it’s breezy enough. ![]() Some moments in Postman Pat: The Movie work. But the fact you end up distracted by it a little perhaps points to broader issues with the film’s ability to hold your attention. Is it a problem? It’s certainly noticeable, although it doesn’t really get in the way. The latter, whilst a weaker film, looks dramatically better than the former, and there’s no getting away from that. Now, that’s very much in keeping with the TV show, but the problem that Postman Pat: The Movie faces is that the ticket price to see it is the same as that charged by something like Rio 2. Background details feel like they’re missing. A big crowd then turns out to be a small gathering. ![]() You get told there’s a packed room at one point, and it then appears to be anything but. In the era of Pixar, DreamWorks et al, the far less detailed animation employed by Postman Pat: The Movie inevitably sticks out once you look beyond the characters themselves. ![]() It’s worth touching on the animation too. Meanwhile, fourth-wall breaking asides don’t really hit, and initially creep visual sparks – and there’s some surprisingly scary stuff for the very young here – run out of impact. The Simon Cowell spoof – Simon Cowbell – goes on and on and on. But before you can say ‘undervalued sell-off’, the sorting office is under new management, with complex machinery and robotics the way forward, and bonuses not very likely.īut it overeggs many of its points and jokes. A plot? Well Pat, we learn, wants to take his beloved Sara on a belated honeymoon to Italy with his forthcoming bonus from the Post Office. All the regulars are there, with the gentle, at first glance quite limited animation adding to their charm. We meet Pat, now voiced by Stephen Mangan, as he goes about his work in Greendale, courtesy of a really good, extended opening shot. But ultimately, for all the nods to other movies ( Faster Pussycat Kill Kill being the most bizarre), and for all the ideas, Pat falls just a little flat when it matters. As it turns out, there are merits to the Postman Pat movie, which at times feels as much like the beneficiary of a Doctor Who script conference as a stint watching children’s telly. After all, the big screen debut of Postman Pat suffered from an early promo that suggested the film was not one to look forward to. It’s better than the trailer, let’s start there. ![]()
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