A curious mix of Britpop music cues and moppet-bait storytelling makes for a diverting, if derivative kids' animation.
The House of Magic
Belgium, United Kingdom, France · 2013
Rated G · 1h 25m
Director Ben Stassen, Jeremy Degruson
Starring Grant George, Shanelle Gray, Joey Camen, Cinda Adams
Genre Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Thunder, an abandoned young cat seeking shelter from a storm, stumbles into a strange house, owned by a magician and inhabited by a dazzling array of automatons and gizmos. When the magician’s scheming nephew tries to sell the mansion, Thunder must enlist the help of some wacky magician’s assistants to protect his new home.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Time Out London by Cath Clarke
The 3D effects are dazzling, but the script creaks and the characters are thin.
It’s a thin premise that cues much cheery knockabout comedy, with ample scope for impressively whooshy 3D tracking shots.
The humour is scant and there's no real risk of peril (Grant George's nephew and his dastardly plans seem more psychopathic than threatening). Yet when you have a film that's colourful, easy on the eye and full of positive messages about friendship and trust, then kids will be happy.
Lawrence’s mechanised menagerie and the directors’ stereoscopic smarts entertain most.
Washington Post by Mark Jenkins
“Thunder” doesn’t boast a distinctive look or a cast of famous voices. But its characters are engaging and its action sequences exhilarating.
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
It is soulless, like something that has been generated by a computer programme.
The Telegraph by Robbie Collin
This script has not exactly been laboured over into the wee hours, and an audience used to Disney and Pixar will rightly expect better than this, whether they’re under 10 or not.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service by Roger Moore
It’s too bad the script lacks the sight gags or one-liners that could have made this good looking picture more animated.
Village Voice by Sherilyn Connelly
The story is serviceable enough.
Users who liked this film also liked
Torrente, the Dumb Arm of the Law
(Torrente, el brazo tonto de la ley)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 1998
- Director Santiago Segura
- Cast Santiago Segura, Javier Cámara, Neus Asensi, Chus Lampreave, Tony Leblanc, Jimmy Barnatán
- Genre Comedy, Crime
- Available on Microsoft Store, Kanopy
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
The Rugrats are back, and this time, they're in Paris!
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Germany, United States • 2000
- Director Stig Bergqvist, Paul Demeyer
- Cast Elizabeth Daily, Susan Sarandon, John Lithgow, Tara Strong, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family
- Available on Paramount Plus, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Pluto TV
Round Da Way
(Lascars)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Germany • 2009
- Director Emmanuel Klotz, Albert Pereira-Lazaro
- Cast Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Omar Sy, Fred Testot, Gilles Lellouche, Frédérique Bel
- Genre Animation, Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer
(The Dolphin Story of a Dreamer)
- ✭ ✭
- Germany, Italy, Peru • 2009
- Director Eduardo Schuldt
- Cast Robbie Daymond, Debra L. Repashy, Michael Ferreri, Steven Booth, Giovanni Ciccia, Bruno Ascenzo
- Genre Animation
- Available on Fandango At Home, Microsoft Store, Apple TV
Snowflake, the White Gorilla
(Floquet de Neu)
Being Different Is A Real Adventure
- ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2011
- Director Andrés G. Schaer
- Cast Claudia Abate, Pere Ponce, Joan Sullà, Elsa Pataky, Rosa Boladeras, Constantino Romero
- Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
- Available on Starz Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, YouTube Free
Justin and the Knights of Valour
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain, United Kingdom, Netherlands • 2013
- Director Manuel Sicilia
- Cast Saoirse Ronan, Freddie Highmore, Antonio Banderas, Mark Strong, Julie Walters, Olivia Williams
- Genre Animation, Adventure
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Snow Queen
(Снежная королева)
Cold can freeze your heart, love can set you free
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Russia • 2012
- Director Vladlen Barbe, Maksim Sveshnikov
- Cast Ivan Okhlobystin, Dmitriy Nagiev, Lyudmila Artemeva, Anna Ardova, Elizaveta Arzamasova, Galina Tyunina
- Genre Animation, Fantasy, Family
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, Freevee, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Krrish 3
(कृष ३)
- India • 2013
- Director Rakesh Roshan
- Cast Hrithik Roshan, Vivek Oberoi, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kangana Ranaut, Arif Zakaria, Asif Basra
- Genre Action, Science Fiction
- Available on Yupp TV
Before the Winter Chill
(Avant l'hiver)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Luxembourg • 2013
- Director Philippe Claudel
- Cast Daniel Auteuil, Kristin Scott Thomas, Leïla Bekhti, Richard Berry, Vicky Krieps, Jérôme Varanfrain
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Harry Hill Movie
- ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 2013
- Director Steve Bendelack
- Cast Harry Hill, Julie Walters, Simon Bird, Guillaume Delaunay, Sheridan Smith, Julian Barratt
- Genre Comedy, Adventure, Family
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Kedi
This documentary looks at the thousands of free-roaming cats in Istanbul, Turkey, showing the city through their perspective.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Turkey, United States • 2017
- Director Ceyda Torun
- Cast Bengu, Deniz, Duman, Gamsiz, Aslan Parcasi, Psikopat
- Genre Documentary
- Available on YouTube Premium, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
The Dragon Spell
(Микита Кожум'яка)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Ukraine • 2016
- Director Manuk Depoian
- Cast Arsen Shavlyuk, Vasyl Virastyuk, Ruslana Pysanka, Viktor Andriyenko, Sergei Sivokho
- Genre Family, Comedy, Animation, Fantasy, Adventure
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Freevee
Windstorm 3
(Ostwind 3 - Aufbruch nach Ora)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Germany • 2017
- Director Katja von Garnier
- Cast Hanna Binke, Lea van Acken, Amber Bongard, Marvin Linke, Nicolette Krebitz, Thomas Sarbacher
- Genre Family, Adventure
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, Freevee
Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer
Big Dreamers Dream Big
- ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2018
- Director Jennifer Westcott
- Cast Josh Hutcherson, Samantha Bee, Morena Baccarin, John Cleese, Martin Short, George Buza
- Genre Animation, Family, Adventure
- Available on fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Crackle, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Xumo Play
Trouble
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada, United States, Cayman Islands • 2019
- Director Kevin Johnson
- Cast Big Sean, Pamela Adlon, Lucy Hale, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Joel McHale, Wilmer Valderrama
- Genre Animation, Adventure, Family, Comedy, Music
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads