Jeri Jacquin
Coming to DVD from director Dennis Ganzel and SHOUT! Factory Kids is the adventure of JIM BUTTON AND THE WILD 13.
Young Jim (Solomon Gordon) lives with friends Lucas (Henning Baum) and Ms. Whaat (Annette Frier) after being abandoned as a child in Morrowland. His days are filled with friendship and keeping the trains Emma and little Molly. One day the mail boat hits the rocks in the dark. Now, the King realizes they need a lighthouse.
He also reminds everyone that the island is too small for one, but Jim remembers that Mr. Tur Tur knows how to make a light that can be seen from far, far away. Finding a way to reach the desert fast, Jim and Luke meet Sursulapitschi (Sonja Gerhardt), a mermaid who takes them to the Magnetic Cliffs. She helps to find the Sea Glow which lights up the bottom of the sea.
Using the metals they find, Jim and Luke make Emma into a Perpetumobile and fly to get Mr. Tur Tur. Once there they find a half-dragon Nepomuk and he is the key to helping their mermaid friend find happiness. On their way home, they group is taken by pirates called the Wild 13. They are not very afraid because they remembered what the Golden Dragon of Wisdom, Mrs. Grindtooth, had told them about their trip.
They also find stowaway Princess Li Si (Leighanne Esperanzate) and they are all taken to the Castle Stormeye by the pirates. In the madness Jim discovers who he truly is and what he must do to not only reclaim his birthright but to save his friends from disaster!
Gordon as Jim gives his role a feeling of compassion, love, excitement and understanding of who he is and what he must do. I really enjoyed his relationship with Luke and his ability to remember clues and apply them when they seem like a riddle. Well done young man.
Baum as Lucas clearly cares about his young friend. Setting off on their adventure, Luke does not hesitate to take the young man. Constantly looking after him, he also finds himself in the middle of an amazing adventure filled with possibilities.
Esperanzate as Princess Li Si has the same love of mystery and adventure as her friend Jim. Of course, she is going to stow away to join in, even after her father expressly forbade it with dire consequences for anyone that helped her. Well, a father has to do what a father has to do!
Other cast include Eden Gough as Ping Pong, Christoph Herbst as Armel, Rick Kavanian as Wild 13, Milan Peschel as Tur Tur, Dulcie Smart as Mrs. Grindtooth, Hon Ping Tang as Han Gong, Uwe Ochsenknecht as King Alfred, Kao Chenmin as Pung Ging.
SHOUT! Factory has grown into a tremendous multi-platform media company. Releasing new animated features such as the exquisite Long Way North, and the epic fantasy Beauty and The Beast. Also, their own original horror film, Fender Bender gives fans a good scare. For more of what SHOUT Factor has to offer please visit www.shoutfactory.com.
JIM BUTTON AND THE WILD 13 is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by German author Michael Ende. The charming book followed the success of its preceding novel Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver.
Director by Jupiter Award winner and Sundance Film Festival nominee, Ganzel is also responsible for one of my favorite films, THE WAVE. The feature film’s magic was celebrated in film festivals worldwide and was a winner at the Animago Awards, Bavarian Awards, German Film Awards and Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
They cast plays together so well with Jim and Luke as the helm of the adventure. I have to say that the characters are funny and come from the most unexpected places. The film is so colorful with the special effects from the darkest of modes to the costuming, it is just an absolutely delightful family film.
Sharing this with the family shows the adventure, joy, hope and mystery of the story and can be a part of any family night in with popcorn and couch cuddles. Join Jim and Luke on their adventure as JIM BUTTON AND THE WILD 13 share it all on DVD.
In the end – it’s a mysterious and exciting adventure!
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