Release Date: 01/04/2009
Audio tracks: English 5.1, English 2.0
Languages: English
Genre: Family, Kids
Director: John Henderson
Runtime: 90.0 mins

“Tales of the Riverbank” (based on the TV series) is purely a movie for the smaller cherubs. Your little ones are taken to the riverbank and told the story of 3 animals, their friends and how they blew away their enemies. Literally.

The story is narrated by an Owl (voiced by Stephen Fry) and tells us how the riverbanks inhabitants got caught in the middle of a rainstorm that turned into a flood. This flood sends the animals on a cruise (of sorts) that saw the bonding of a naive hamster (Hammy, voiced by Ardal O’Hanlon), an eccentric guinea pig (GP, voiced by Jim Broadbent) and a streetwise rat (Roderick, voiced by Steve Coogan).

They try to determine the whereabouts of their homes by journeying down the river, increasing their numbers by making more friends along the way (a grouchy rabbit named Miss Much, a self-proclaimed psychic hamster named Betty, and a singing mouse named Sonia).

Sonia becomes smitten with Roderick – and likewise. The only problem is that Sonia has been hired to entertain some fat cats – or rather THE Fat Cats – at the WMD (Waffle, Marmalade and Doughnut) Factory. They make sure they are getting their monies worth by flying in on their helicopter to return her to the factory when she tries to make a break for it.

When the group begin to gather their intelligence, they discover that not only have they kidnapped Sonia but the WMD is polluting the countryside with dangerous emissions! Will they save Sonia and the Riverbank?

Special features include:

• “Making of” – History and process behind the making of the film.
• Tales of the Riverbank trailer
• Other trailers for Madman’s children’s releases

Again, this is one for the smaller kids – however, older kids and parents can also watch it but they may get bored. If you have seen the TV series though, this movie may just add to your view on it. It’s cute and innocent fun which lets your children explore their imagination. I would recommend hiring it first though if you are unsure.

(c) 2008 RIVERBANK THE MOVIE LTD. All rights reserved.