Customer Reviews

Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I thought that this DVD was very well done. The animation is different from the typical Franklin story, even his other full-length stories. The characters are "more animated", for lack of a better description. For example, instead of the usual stone-faced Bear character, he makes funny faces. The music is also different-not annoying like the other full-length stories. Franklin and Harriet are not whiney, spoiled, and annoying like they usually are.
The problem lies in the story itself. Granny is dying of some unknow ailment and it seems that Franklin must find this magic talisman to save her life. That's quite a bit of pressure on a child, I would say. My daughter did not like that at all. We also get to hear Granny's story of hiding this talisman in a time capsule when she was a child, which is fine until you see the forest around her small pup tent erupt in flames, and watch as it creeps closer to her family's cabin where her parents are sleeping. She escapes to a row boat on the lake and watches and waits till the fire is gone. Then she sums up the story by saying that "she lost everything in that fire", and then went to live with some other family member. It's a pretty gruesome way to make the time capsule a challenge to find for Franklin! I wonder what the authors were thinking when they wrote this story line. I thought that killing off parents was just a favorite Walt Disney device. My daughter does not want to watch this again, it upset her so much. And even though it is a very well-done cartoon, I can't say that Franklin is one of my favorites, so it's not likely that anybody else will be watching it again either.

I was also, a bit surprised at some of the mature areas of this
film, but I felt it had a tender manner of dealing with the situations.
Perhaps this Franklin isn't meant for super small children - yet I didn't find
it offensive at all. My daughter really likes this dvd.

I have to disagree with some other reviewers who think this movie is to gruesome or mature for preschoolers. Me and my daughter have watched this movie several times over the past 3 years and love the movie. It teaches that no matter how impossible a task as long as you work together and don't give up you can accomplish anything. Just like people shield their children from bambi cause his mom dies. Thats your choice. But to bash a movie because it's more of a serious story than your child can handle doesn't mean other children can't handle it. It's a great story, a great theme and a great moral lesson of never giving up. I for one think calling the movie gruesome due to a fire or grandma getting sick is a little overkill.

My children, now ages 4 and 5, love this movie! They first watched it over a year ago, and they still ask to rent it from the library. Now I am buying it for my daughter's 6th birthday, as she still loves Franklin movies and books so much. The movie does include a dying grandmother, and it tells how the grandmother's parents died in a fire many years ago, but it doesn't scare my children. Instead, it moves my children to think and feel deeply, and have sympathy for others. In the end, Franklin is a hero and the story has a happy ending.

My daughter loves Franklin, so naturally, she loves the movie! It's a very sweet tale; a must for Franklin fans.

I failed to read the reviews completely before buying this DVD for my 4yo son, who normally loves Franklin, and I regret buying this. I totally agree with the other reviewers who commented on the mature story lines: granny reliving the story of her parents dying in a fire upset my son so much that he did not want to watch the rest of it. I convinced him to keep watching, saying that when movies have a sad part, a happy part is to come, but then there were some sad/scary sub plots as the gang went on the hunt for the time capsule -- Snail gets carried away by a bird and almost eaten! I guess it has a happy ending, but at this point, my son did not want to finish it! The animation is definately different, as well as some of the voices, but this doesn't really make a difference for those who are used to the tv show. Might be ok for kids a little older.

This is a favorite with wonderful lessons. Franklin and friends once again teach the meaning of love, family, friendship, and love

my grandson loved the video he asks to watch it when he comes to visit and we sit and watch it together

It was a very good story for our daughter, 4 yrs, to watch especially since she lost her Nanny last summer. We have done a lot of talking about her being gone...when she brings it up to me. It is a shame that other parents cannot use this film as a teaching moment...maybe they have a hard time with death. I understand that it was unexpected from a Franklin show, but use these moment to teach not run away from life's uncertainty. Teach them that life is precious!

This is a very colorful and interesting video. I bought it for my two year old grandson.HE loves it.