The Magic Roundabout Details

The much-loved children's TV classic is re-imagined for 21st-century youngsters in this attractive computer-animated adventure. Using the original characters as a springboard, the film broadens and updates their escapades to satisfy contemporary tastes. The result is a colourful tribute to the eccentric 1960s show, in which Dougal the dog inadvertently releases imprisoned sorcerer Zeebad (voiced by Tom Baker). Free after centuries, the malevolent Zeebad aims to cast the world into darkness, beginning by encasing the roundabout in ice and trapping little girl Florence (Kylie Minogue). It's up to Dougal and his pals to save the day. Though this is a feature for the very young, there's enough to keep grown-up nostalgia fans happy. The dialogue and comic scenarios still have their knowing undertones, while the slightly beefed-up characters retain their simple charm. Despite a thin plot, the story skips along nicely, bolstered by a sunny pop soundtrack and spot-on voice casting. Bill Nighy's hippy rabbit Dylan is particularly fun, but it's Robbie Williams's cheeky turn as Dougal that's the most pleasant surprise.

Slickly animated movie for very small children that had its origins in a series of funny five minutes on TV, written and narrated by Eic Thompson, who, ignoring the original French narrative, wrote his own whimsical stories. None of that gentle humour sur