Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys

***Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys*** is a 2001 American-Canadian CGI animated film produced by Golden Books Family Entertainment and Tundra Productions, and released on VHS and DVD in the United States by GoodTimes Entertainment on October 30th, 2001 and previously in IMAX Theaters overseas (Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Canada) by StudioCanal on July 20th, 2001. It was based on the 1964 Rankin-Bass television special, *Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer*.

## Plot

Rudolph, not satisfied with being a "novelty act" performing tricks with his nose, travels with Hermey to the Island of Misfit Toys to give King Moonracer a root canal. A storm sends Rudolph and Hermey to Castaway Cove where Rudolph considers having his nose made more normal-looking by a hippopotamus named Queen Camilla. However, Hermey doesn't feel that the change would sit well with Clarice, who is also being taught to fly. Meanwhile, the evil Toy Taker is stealing all of the toys from the island, including Santa's workshop, claiming that he's saving them from the inevitable fact that children eventually outgrow their toys and throw them away. Rudolph has a plan to foil the Toy Taker's plan by disguising themselves as toys. The blimp arrives and manages to steal them along with the Misfit Toys, all except for Bumble, who is too big to fit into the blimp so he follows on a floating ice berg. Rudolph tries to talk to a new misfit toy, a kite who is scared of heights, and wakes him up from his hypnosis, but fails. The Toy Taker hears all the chatter, and realizing there are intruders, catches Rudolph, Clarice, Yukon, and Hermey, and they fall down. Before they can meet their demise, Rudolph and Clarice fly to save them. They head back into the blimp, with Yukon chasing after the Toy Taker, Hermey piloting the blimp, and Rudolph and Clarice doing their best to wake up the toys from their hypnosis once again. Yukon finally chases the Toy Taker up to the top of the blimp. When a boomerang who doesn't come back swoops by Yukon, he loses his balance and falls. Rudolph and Clarice confront the Toy Taker, with Rudolph's nose blinding him during the confrontation.

The Toy Taker flees and parachutes his way down to Yukon's peppermint mine in hopes of escaping Rudolph and Clarice. Due to the holes in the blimp, Hermey loses control. Luckily Bumble is there to save Yukon, Hermey and the blimp before any further damage can be made. The reindeer are still chasing the Toy Taker until he pulls a switch and follows the reindeer from behind. After the Toy Taker threw lanterns at Rudolph and clarify so he foul escrow them but Rudolph captured him, Rudolph and Clarice eject themselves from the cart and have to help save the Toy Taker from falling to his fate. Santa, Mrs. Claus, Bumble, Yukon, and the gang arrive just in time to see Rudolph and Clarice in the mines safe and sound. However the Toy Taker tries to escape again, but Yukon manages to lasso him up with Hermey's floss. Upon removing the coat and hat, it is revealed he is none other than a teddy bear named Mr. Cuddles, with loose stuffing coming out from him. He apologizes and tells them he used to belong to a boy named Steven, who outgrew him and threw him away. After this, he became the Toy Taker to save the other toys from being thrown away after their owners outgrew them. Santa explains that while it is true that some children outgrow their toys, he knows Steven is looking for him. Rudolph and his friends agree to bring him there and have Queen Camilla fix him to cheer him up. They do so, and Rudolph, considering about turning his nose normal, decides to keep his nose the way it is. Santa leaves to deliver the presents at their first house where Mr. Cuddles gets delivered. Santa tells him that Steven didn't mean to throw him away, but was saving him as a family gift. He then places him in the bed of Steven's new daughter who awakens to cuddle up with him, as Mr. Cuddles declares this the happiest day of his life, Steven walks into the room to check on his cute baby daughter. As he smiles, Santa flies off into the night.

## Cast

* Kathleen Barr – Rudolph, Mrs. Claus, Dolly, Peggy the Piggy Bank, Tooth Fairy, Rocking Horse

* Scott McNeil – Hermey, Yukon Cornelius, Boomerang Who Won't Come Back, Coach Comet, Duck

* Garry Chalk – Santa Claus, Bumble

* Richard Dreyfuss – Scoop T. Snowman

* Rick Moranis – Toy Taker/Mr. Cuddles

* Don Brown – Toy Taker's Vocal Effects

* Bruce Roberts – Toy Taker/Mr. Cuddles, Kite Who's Scared of Heights, and Scoop the Snowman's Singing Voice

* Jamie Lee Curtis – Queen Camilla

* Elizabeth Carol Savenkoff – Clarice

* Shawn Southwick – Queen Camilla and Clarice's Singing Voice

* Colin Murdock – King Moonracer, Reindeer #1

* Peter Kelamis – Elf Foreman

* Brent Miller – Hank

* Lee Tockar – Charlie in the Box, Meowing Wind-Up Mouse, Gingerbread Guard

* Terry Klassen – Telephone, Dizzy Top

* Alec Willows – Kite Who's Scared of Heights, Additional Voices

## Goofs/Errors

* **Plot continuity:** This is supposed to take place after the events of the first film, yet Rudolph still looks like a child.
* Animation errors such as King Moonracer already opening his mouth for Hermey, and when Hermey decides to look in, he closes it in refusal.
* Rudolph is very out-of-character in this film because he wanted a "normal nose", yet he is famous for his red nose, showing that it is okay to be different from the others. He also has double standards since at the end he still wants his red nose.
* **False advertising:** The Island of Misfit Toys is shown only a few times, and Rudolph doesn't even get the chance to stay there for long!
* Cheaply-made Maya CGI animation, even for early 2000s standards, that look like an old PSOne game.
* Some forgettable and annoying songs (especially the "Island of Misfit Toys" song).
* Scoop the Snowman gives a creepy vibe throughout the entire movie.
* The Toy Taker's origin story is a rip-off of Jessie's in *Toy Story 2*.
* Rarely even follows up the events of the 1964 special, or even the 1939 book.

## Trivia

* The ending is heartwarming, in which Santa gives the Toy Taker to his owner's sweet baby daughter.
* The voice acting is decent. In fact, Scott McNeil does a great job at replicating Hermey and Yukon Cornelius' voices from the original.
* The Toy Taker's villain song is decent.
* It feels more true to the source material, unlike Frosty Returns.

## Reception

The film has received mixed to very negative reviews, critics citing the poor and rigged CGI animation and very weak story lines, but having praise for some of the voice cast, particularly Curtis and Moranis.

## Screenshots

OpeningNew ToysParisBallerina and the NutcrackersScoop the SnowmanScoop the Snowman againAdinaRudolphKite Who's Scared of HeightsRudolph, Hermey, and KiteThe Island of Misfit ToysRudolph, Hermey, Kite, and the misfit toysHermeyRudolph, Hermey, and the soldierDr. CQueen CamillaHermey againThe Toy Taker SongRudolph and ClariceYukon CorneliusMr. Cuddles SongClarice
## Videos

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer And The Island of Misfit Toys (Early Trailer)The promotional trailer of the movie.Animating RudolphThe CGI animation techniques of the movie.