The Black Cauldron
SCORE: 74
The Black Cauldron may be the darkest animated movie Disney ever
created. Family Friendly Gaming was given the 25th Anniversary Edition
on DVD to review. The young assistant to a pig keeper goes on a quest to
stop the foul Horned King. The Black Cauldron shifts a few times
throughout the movie. At first the evil king is after a pig that can
predict the future, and then the Black Cauldron itself. This wicked pot
can be used to create an army of the undead.
Not only are the visuals dark in most of The Black Cauldron, the theme
follows suit. There is a lot of magic in The Black Cauldron. Three
witches play a major role in this movie, and their position is selfish
at best. The beginning and end of The Black Cauldron look fantastic, and
are rays of shining light. There is some cartoon violence in this movie,
and a frog caught in some cleavage in another.
The musical score in The Black Cauldron fits the dark moody tempo of the
film. There are some scary moments (for children at least) in The Black
Cauldron, and the music accentuates that point. The sacrificial nature
that the hero characters are willing to do is very touching and reminds
me of the sacrifice Christ made for our sins. The voice acting is okay
in The Black Cauldron. I have heard much worse in animated films from
that era.
The Black Cauldron contains some bonuses that will interest fans of the
film. There is a deleted scene, a game involving the witches, a trick or
treat animated short, still frame gallery, and sneak peaks. The sneak
peaks are now done in a row instead of picking them from a screen. The
witches games were not up my alley, and the trick or treat animated
short reminds me of history of Halloween. The Black Cauldron does fit
that day.
The menu screens in The Black Cauldron are okay. I ran into no issues
while traversing them. The story in The Black Cauldron is a little too
convenient at times. No one thinks to guard the prisoners after the
cauldron is used, and the loss of interest in the fortune telling pig
was strange. I guess what I am trying to say is the flow in The Black
Cauldron is a little disconnected. Maybe recent films have spoiled me.
Parents need to realize there are demonic devices, dragons, skeletons,
and some other very evil characters in The Black Cauldron. Magic is a
major part of the world this DVD is in. Like I said earlier The Black
Cauldron may be one of the darkest animated films Disney ever created.
The evil king is vanquished in the end, and the sacrificial character is
brought back to life. I prefer the more upbeat, bright, and colorful
Disney films.
- Frank
Graphics: 65%
Sound: 78%
Replay/Extras: 78%
Gameplay: 77%
Family Friendly Factor: 72%
System: DVD
Publisher: Disney
Rating: 'PG'
for Parental Guidance Suggested
{For Some Scary Images}
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