ThomasNATION Reviews - James the Super Engine
July 07, 2020
I’d like to begin by saying that I’m a huge superhero fan. I’ve often found myself checking out a few cool comic books, watching a few of the TV shows, and hell, some of my favorite movies are actually from the MCU. In regards to a superhero themed Thomas episode, if there was one character I definitely imagined being a superhero, it was mostly James, seeing as he adores soaking up the limelight and notoriety. This episode also serves as the first by the show’s new head writer David Stoten, so how does his big debut hold up? Let’s begin.
After learning about superheroes, James starts to wonder what it would be like to be a proper superhero engine, After he winds up covered in oil, especially around his eyes, he dubs himself the Rail Rocket and goes about town saving those in need.
This is gonna be another relatively short review, but to put it lightly, this episode is just okay. There’s not much to talk about with it, really.
One thing I do like is how it kinda diverges from the three-strike formula. We do have the same structure of that kind of episode, with James going about and screwing up, realising his mistake, and then getting a chance to redeem himself, but we instead only see him screw up once. In fact, he actually does start off the pattern by doing something good, so it’s good that we don’t actually go in such a tired, predictable direction.
What I also like about the episode is the fantasy. What’s cool about it is that it has a comic book aesthetic which fits the tone and theme of the episode perfectly. While the style isn’t nearly as well executed like how it was in films like Into the Spider-Verse, it’s still a fun moment.
Other than that, there’s not much to discuss here, it’s just a perfectly serviceable episode. It’s definitely enjoyable, but it’s not all that memorable. I guess I can give this a recommendation for superhero fans, but others may not enjoy it as much. It’s a fine first impression that earns itself a 3/5.
Final Score: 3/5
About the Author: JF the LOLZOR
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