The 1987 DuckTales was one of the most iconic and entertaining series of the 1980s. Its run concluded in 1990 and was followed up by a theatrical feature, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990). With a greater budget and more screen-time, this could have been a grand finale to the beloved television show. What we got instead was a lackluster wasted opportunity.
The plot lacks any kind of structure or drive, and can be divided easily into three disparate parts: 1) A scene in Egypt where Scrooge and co. find the magic lamp, 2) Back to Duckberg where the plot completely stops. The genie is unleashed and the kids try to hide him while they waste wishes on frivolous things. Scrooge finds out and takes the genie to an explorer's gathering, 3) The genie is stolen, Scrooge loses his fortune, the heroes gather to steal the lamp back from evil Christopher Lloyd wizard and save the day. Firstly, I am disappointed the writers felt the need to include a genie as a big part of the plot, since an episode of the show already covered that kind of plot. Secondly, as I mentioned before, the movie stops and starts constantly. The middle act is flabby, wasted on extended comic routines that aren't too inspired.
You would imagine with a wider canvas, the writers would have had a field day with locations, but for most of the movie, we are restricted to interiors in Duckburg. You would imagine they would have had a field day with all the different kind of colorful villains that had dominated the series, but instead we get the generic Merlock, who lacks humor or menace, and is therefore forgettable. Depending on your temperament, you may find the genie annoying or tolerable; he's pretty much the early 1990s in a single character.
The animation is pretty strange. Though it is of a higher quality than what was seen on the television show, it is erratic. Characters move constantly, twitching and exaggerated in a way that's too much even for a Disney cartoon. Everyone seems hyped up on caffeine or something, an effect I don't think the animators were going for at all.
A common adjective you hear to describe this movie in most reviews is "harmless" or "good enough for kids." Harmless it may be, but that doesn't make the film particularly good. Of course, it isn't a bad movie either and does have some good moments. The first twenty minutes are adventurous and possess atmosphere, and the voice actors are in great form, especially the late and great Alan Young. But it doesn't save the film from mediocrity. It leaves you wishing about what could have been.
The plot lacks any kind of structure or drive, and can be divided easily into three disparate parts: 1) A scene in Egypt where Scrooge and co. find the magic lamp, 2) Back to Duckberg where the plot completely stops. The genie is unleashed and the kids try to hide him while they waste wishes on frivolous things. Scrooge finds out and takes the genie to an explorer's gathering, 3) The genie is stolen, Scrooge loses his fortune, the heroes gather to steal the lamp back from evil Christopher Lloyd wizard and save the day. Firstly, I am disappointed the writers felt the need to include a genie as a big part of the plot, since an episode of the show already covered that kind of plot. Secondly, as I mentioned before, the movie stops and starts constantly. The middle act is flabby, wasted on extended comic routines that aren't too inspired.
You would imagine with a wider canvas, the writers would have had a field day with locations, but for most of the movie, we are restricted to interiors in Duckburg. You would imagine they would have had a field day with all the different kind of colorful villains that had dominated the series, but instead we get the generic Merlock, who lacks humor or menace, and is therefore forgettable. Depending on your temperament, you may find the genie annoying or tolerable; he's pretty much the early 1990s in a single character.
The animation is pretty strange. Though it is of a higher quality than what was seen on the television show, it is erratic. Characters move constantly, twitching and exaggerated in a way that's too much even for a Disney cartoon. Everyone seems hyped up on caffeine or something, an effect I don't think the animators were going for at all.
A common adjective you hear to describe this movie in most reviews is "harmless" or "good enough for kids." Harmless it may be, but that doesn't make the film particularly good. Of course, it isn't a bad movie either and does have some good moments. The first twenty minutes are adventurous and possess atmosphere, and the voice actors are in great form, especially the late and great Alan Young. But it doesn't save the film from mediocrity. It leaves you wishing about what could have been.