I think Race for Your Life Charlie Brown is a little overlooked nowadays. This being the third theatrical Peanuts film, it's quite an adventure for the Peanuts gang.
Charlie Brown and the others compete against three bullies and their cat at a raft race and eventually there's a side plot about Snoopy and Woodstock getting lost. It doesn't seem like much on paper for an hour and sixteen minutes but it actually does a decent job. The amount of filler in this film was a lot less than I was expecting and didn't feel as slow paced. The third act did kind of lose its touch when they are close to the finish line and it drags on a little too long. It's not one of Charlie Brown's best plots I mean it doesn't come close to the deep plots of A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Snoopy Come Home but it works for what it is.
The characters are decent. Charlie Brown's motivation is not exactly the focus like in the other movies as he just wants to win against those bullies and be a good leader. Peppermint Patty is a little annoying in this film but it's passable. Snoopy and Woodstock are funny and actually contribute well to the plot during the race. The bullies are okay villains, I mean they're just your typical kids who love to cheat and think it's fun to bully anyone else. The rest of the Peanuts gang have their fun moments and actually have a good amount of dialogue and screen time.
The animation looks really improved mostly with the backgrounds. I really love the background work in this movie, they are painted so beautifully with uniquely drawn angles. I feel like the animation team really did a neat job here.
Vince Guaraldi isn't in the soundtrack since he passed away a year prior unfortunately so the soundtrack is mostly weak in this film. It sounds very TV quality with only a couple good songs that have lyrics. I do think the soundtrack could've been better if the Sherman Brothers made a return from Snoopy Come Home.
Overall this is a good Peanuts film, it has some flaws here and there but it honestly felt deserved for the silver screen.
Charlie Brown and the others compete against three bullies and their cat at a raft race and eventually there's a side plot about Snoopy and Woodstock getting lost. It doesn't seem like much on paper for an hour and sixteen minutes but it actually does a decent job. The amount of filler in this film was a lot less than I was expecting and didn't feel as slow paced. The third act did kind of lose its touch when they are close to the finish line and it drags on a little too long. It's not one of Charlie Brown's best plots I mean it doesn't come close to the deep plots of A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Snoopy Come Home but it works for what it is.
The characters are decent. Charlie Brown's motivation is not exactly the focus like in the other movies as he just wants to win against those bullies and be a good leader. Peppermint Patty is a little annoying in this film but it's passable. Snoopy and Woodstock are funny and actually contribute well to the plot during the race. The bullies are okay villains, I mean they're just your typical kids who love to cheat and think it's fun to bully anyone else. The rest of the Peanuts gang have their fun moments and actually have a good amount of dialogue and screen time.
The animation looks really improved mostly with the backgrounds. I really love the background work in this movie, they are painted so beautifully with uniquely drawn angles. I feel like the animation team really did a neat job here.
Vince Guaraldi isn't in the soundtrack since he passed away a year prior unfortunately so the soundtrack is mostly weak in this film. It sounds very TV quality with only a couple good songs that have lyrics. I do think the soundtrack could've been better if the Sherman Brothers made a return from Snoopy Come Home.
Overall this is a good Peanuts film, it has some flaws here and there but it honestly felt deserved for the silver screen.