Available on Netflix.
‘Tis the season, so time to begin on the festive film selection.
David E. Talbert writes and directs a fantastical story, set in the 19th century workshop of Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whittaker) a place of wonder and magical inventions. We join him as he finishes his greatest invention, Don Juan (voiced by Ricky Martin). However during the celebrations it is taken by Jeronicus’s frustrated apprentice Gustafson (Keegan Michael Key). With his greatest invention gone Jangle’s career and life takes a downturn. We pick up the story when Jangle’s granddaughter, a gifted mathematician, Journey (Madalen Mills) comes to visit and she wants to help her grandfather rediscover his magic.
If you’ve ever wondered what you’d get if you crossed Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Short Circuit, The Polar Express and set it in Mr Magoriums wonder Emporium, then this film is the answer and if you thought that those films mashed together sounds like it would be a bit of a mess, sadly you’d be right.
I’ve seen a lot of love for Jingle Jangle, but for me it didn’t really work, the storyline, while simple seemed all over the place, punctuated with Greatest Showmen type big song and dance numbers, that while well choreographed on the whole seemed to turn up at the most jarring of places.
While it didn’t work for me, it’s not a complete right off, it looks fantastic and the performances are fine and for a younger audience there is plenty of colour and excitement.
While I really didn’t connect with it, don’t be put off. It is colourful and musical and if that’s what you want it perhaps will work better for you.
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