How come this isn't better known?

Bill-454

I'd put this in the same category as THE SEVEN FACES OF DR. LAO, a true family movie: there's something anyone can relate to, but with some hokey flaws that ultimately don't matter.

There are so many great parts to it, that it's a shame that some of the editing and a few character blunders are handled so badly.

The John Henry competition is pretty much thrown away, just because of some bad editing.

The bad guy is an out-of-place cartoon, supposedly in the "real world" but seems like a fugitive from THE WILD, WILD WEST. He is pitted against the well-drawn characters of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Calamity Jane, all of whom start out as cartoons, then are cleverly nuanced. I could have used more Catherine O'Hara.

Speaking of which, William H. Macy is pretty much wasted too.

I won't spoil the ending, but I think they knew that they DID have a great ending that could survive lots of mis-steps. So don't tune out before the end.

score 7/10

Bill-454 24 September 2008

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1951128/