Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Thunder, an abandoned young cat seeking shelter from a storm, stumbles into the strangest house imaginable, owned by an old magician and inhabited by a dazzling array of automatons and gizmos. Not everyone welcomes the new addition to the troupe as Jack Rabbit and Maggie Mouse plot to evict Thunder. The situation gets worse when the magician lands in hospital and his scheming nephew sees his chance to cash in by selling the mansion. Our young hero is determined to earn his place and so he enlists the help of some wacky magician's assistants to protect his magical new home.
The House of Magic is a competent but unremarkable Belgian-French animated family film. The plot follows well-worn territory: abandoned animal finds a quirky home, faces threats from both jealous housemates and a greedy human villain, and must prove its worth. The story beats are predictable and derivative of countless similar family films. The voice acting is serviceable but lacks memorable character work. Cinematographically, the 3D animation has some visual charm — the magical gadgets and automaton designs are imaginative and colorful, giving the film its most distinctive quality. Novelty is low; the premise blends elements seen in many animal-centered animated films without bringing a truly fresh perspective. The ending resolves predictably with little surprise or emotional payoff. It's a pleasant enough diversion for young children but leaves little impression beyond its production design.