This sequel to "The Snowman" was a nice idea. I'm not sure if the world needed one; the original Raymond Briggs creation was pretty much complete in itself (boy builds snowman, snowman comes to life, boy and snowman have good time, snowman melts, audience sniffles, The End) but if a sequel was to be made this was a fair one. I'd only say "fair" as I found the "boy's poor old dog dies but he gets a new one" storyline cringingly mawkish. Maybe it's just me, but I felt that if he'd wanted a new dog that badly perhaps he could just have gone to DogsTrust.
The original Briggs Snowman didn't need any such bolted-on "aaahh" factor as it was complete in itself.
What made this a 6/10 rather than an 8, though, was the music. The original Snowman debuted in 1982. The "Walking in the Air" tune has been memorable since then – it's been part of the national psyche for 30 years (and frankly Aled Jones probably got sick of it after about a month). I couldn't remember the music from "Snowdog" even while it was playing. If I watch this again (and I might; the animation was stunningly beautiful, well up to the standard of the original) I'll do so with the "mute" button on.
The original Briggs Snowman didn't need any such bolted-on "aaahh" factor as it was complete in itself.
What made this a 6/10 rather than an 8, though, was the music. The original Snowman debuted in 1982. The "Walking in the Air" tune has been memorable since then – it's been part of the national psyche for 30 years (and frankly Aled Jones probably got sick of it after about a month). I couldn't remember the music from "Snowdog" even while it was playing. If I watch this again (and I might; the animation was stunningly beautiful, well up to the standard of the original) I'll do so with the "mute" button on.