Thunder and the House of Magic Jack is a captivating story that tells the tale of a young boy named Thunder and his magical adventures. Thunder, a curious and adventurous child, stumbles upon a peculiar house in his neighborhood, known as the House of Magic Jack. The House of Magic Jack is renowned for its mysterious powers and enchanting secrets. Intrigued by the rumors surrounding the house, Thunder decides to explore its wonders. Little did he know that he was about to embark on an extraordinary journey that would change his life forever. As Thunder enters the house, he is greeted by a mischievous talking cat named Cheshire.
Western Animation / Thunder and the House of Magic
The House of Magic (Thunder and The House of Magic in the United States) is a 2013 3D Belgian-French CGI fantasy-comedy film about a young cat (Brianne Siddall) who's been abandoned by his owners in the middle of a strange neighborhood and comes across a mysterious house.
Once inside, he discovers that the house is inhabited by a dazzling array of living automatons and gizmos, along with Maggie the mouse (Shanelle Gray) and Jack the rabbit (George Babbit), who try to chase him out because they think he will take advantage of their cat-loving owner, Lawrence, an elderly magician. Meanwhile, his nephew, Daniel (Grant George), tries to persuade his uncle to sell his house in order to make a profit. However, his cat allergies start kicking in, forcing him to flee from the premises.
But after Lawrence is hospitalized due to a bicycle accident, Thunder visits him only to find that Daniel is back and that he has tricked Lawrence into signing a document that allows him to sell the house. Therefore, Thunder and his gizmo friends must find a way to stop Daniel from selling the house until Lawrence returns, all the while trying to deal with the distrustful duo Maggie and Jack, who still think he's up to no good and want him out of the house as soon as possible.
Currently playing on Netflix.
As Thunder enters the house, he is greeted by a mischievous talking cat named Cheshire. Cheshire becomes Thunder's guide throughout his adventure and introduces him to a world filled with secrets and magic. Each room in the house holds a unique surprise, from flying carpets to talking paintings.
Thunder and the House of Magic provides examples of:
- Angry Guard Dog: The doberman that chases Thunder across the neighborhood.
- Big Bad: Daniel.
- Cats Are Magic: Thunder is a cat and comes across a magician's house.
- Cats Are Mean: Subverted with Thunder, who's practically the nicest and most polite out of all the animals that appear in the film. However, that still doesn't prevent Maggie and Jack from thinking his niceness is just an act to gain their trust.
- Cat Stereotype: Thunder is a heroic, Nice Guy orange tabby.
- Chekhov's Gun: The first two minutes of the film has a bench with a Real Estate advertisement of Daniel's before we even meet him.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Thunder's owners were swindled out of their home by a real estate agent, which eventually lead them to their fateful abandonment of Thunder when they couldn't afford to care for him. Reconstructed, as his past experience helps him recognize that Daniel is trying to pull the rug from right under his uncle.
- Dog Stereotype: A Doberman acts as an Angry Guard Dog.
- Downer Beginning: While not particularly dark, it's still sobering that Thunder's story begins when his owners outright abandoning him on the street.
- Dub Name Change: Originally just The House of Magic, the English translation adds Thunder and to the beginning.
- Eccentric Artist: The Eames.
- Gratuitous Spanish: The chihuahua that Thunder meets tends to toss phrases like "gato" and "mucho peligroso" around but mostly speaks in perfect English. He even combines Spanish and English words together such as "mi-bro" to address Thunder as his friend.
- Hair-Raising Hare: Jack in-universe. He's the "monstrous were-rabbit" that resides in the Magic House, scaring off intruders and curious cats.
- Jerkass: Jack and Maggie at the beginning and especially Lawrence's nephew, Daniel.
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: Lawrence, which is why he adopts Thunder.
- Laser-Guided Karma: After failing to sell his uncle's house, Daniel continues his business elsewhere by helping an old lady sell her home. The kicker? She's a Crazy Cat Lady with tons and tons of cats living in her home. Before he can escape, he's practically swarmed by them and his allergies kick in to overdrive.
- Meaningful Name: In-universe. Thunder is named by Lawrence after his Fear of Thunder.
- Mr. Muffykins: Lasandra's chihuahua is this against his will. As a result, he will do anything to get away from his owner, who dresses him in hot pink clothing, has a tendency to yank him around by his leash, and generally doesn't give him much room to breathe thanks to smothering him too much.
- Nice Mice: Subverted with Maggie. She's nice to everyone except Thunder and acts antagonistic towards him throughout most of the film. She eventually comes around though .
- Never My Fault: During the bicycle ride, Jack tries to poke Thunder with a sharp needle through his basket to get him to jump off the bike. Instead, Thunder hops onto Lawrence for protection, causing him to lose control of his bicycle and crash. They blame Thunder for the accident to get the automatons to kick him out, and even when confronted with the truth, they still put the blame on him .
- Odd Friendship: Chihuahua and Thunder the cat.
- A Pet into the Wild: Thunder is abandoned by his owner. He is adopted by another owner soon afterwards.
- Plot Allergy: Daniel is allergic to cats, so Thunder's very presence in Lawrence's house partly keeps him at bay from selling the house.
- Sassy Black Woman: Lasandra, the chihuahua's owner. She's actually more of a loving Grande Dame who smothers her dog with too much materials and affection, but can invoke this trope when angry or if she thinks she's being swindled or tricked by someone.
- Save the Villain: After everything his nephew has done up until this point, Lawrence is highly tempted to allow Daniel to perish from his allergies. Nonetheless, blood is thicker than water and Lawrence decides to take his nephew to a hospital.
- Shady Real Estate Agent: The Magician's nephew, Daniel.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Maggie and Jack weren't fond of Thunder and feared he will take advantage of Lawrence. But during the climax, they immediately regret what they did to and said about him and decide to help him.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Lawrence makes an off-hand comment about Daniel being this, but it's more of an Informed Attribute as we never see his past and what exactly turned Daniel into the greedy man that he is today.
Thunder and the House of Magic (2013)
Synopsis: An abandoned kitten seeks shelter in a scary-looking mansion and finds friends in an elderly magician and his unique companions.
Cartoon Cat: This is a charming animated film and the hero is Thunder (voiced by Murray Blue), the orange kitten who finds himself suddenly abandoned by his family on the side of the road.
The kitten seeks shelter in a strange-looking mansion and soon learns the house belongs to an elderly magician. The man adopts the kitten and names him Thunder.
Thunder is quickly loved by most of the household, an assembly of animatronic toys created by the magician, as well as two love birds. But the magician’s rabbit named Jack (voiced by George Babbit) and white mouse Maggie (voiced by Shanelle Gray) don’t trust the newcomer and plot to get rid of him.
Needless to say Jack and Maggie are not happy when the magician makes Thunder part of the act.
Another character is Daniel (voiced by Grant George) who is scheming to put the magician, his uncle, into a retirement village and sell off the house. Daniel just happens to be allergic to cats, so Thunder is able to keep him at bay as well as rallying the toys against the man.
All in all this animated film is a pleasant surprise with some wonderful characters and well worth a watch, especially by cat lovers (who will appreciate the tag ending!)
Final Mewsings: Abandoned kittens are certainly not worthless!
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Thunder and the house of magic jack
Photo from IMDB.
Thunder and the Houser of Magic (2013) uses a circular model to the storyline. In other words, the different major pieces to the story is reflected in both the beginning and the end with a shared middle. Let’s have a look!
In the beginning, Thunder (Murray Blue) is searching for a new home. He gets left behind, so he tries to find his way back or at least find a new place to stay.
After he enters the house of magic, Thunder is kicked-out by Jack (George Babbit) and Maggie (Shanelle Gray). However, he keeps coming back hoping for a new home. Then, Lawrence (Doug Stone) declares Thunder has joined the “family”.
Then to truly join the family, Thunder joins the act. He becomes a part of the magic act to entertain sick children in the hospital. Then, unfortunately, Lawrence gets put in the hospital because of a biking accident. Thunder takes care of the house in Lawrence’s absence.
After Daniel (Grant George) takes over the house, he tries to sell it to a fabulously rich couple. However, the pigeons make sure this couple never even make it into the front door.
The exact middle of the movie (both with time and storyline) is when Lasondra Johnson (Kendra Leif) with her little dog go to view the house. She marks the middle both with the plot and the time frame of the movie.
Photo from The Hollywood Reporter.
Then we move on to the more modernist couple. This time the appliances inside of the house, instead of the animals outside, defend the house of magic. They want to stay and want the couple out!
This is also where Thunder really starts defending his new home. He and the other devices of the home use their “magic” to scare away buyers and Daniel. He may not have been welcome in the beginning. However, now he makes it clear that he belongs here with these magical creations.
Daniel is the one trying to chase Thunder out at the end. He shoots at Thunder and then attacks the entire house with a wrecking ball. It would appear almost everyone wants Thunder out of this house, except Lawrence.
In the end, Thunder is welcomed into his new home with Lawrence, Jack, Maggie, and the rest of the family. He helps with the magic show and loves his new family.
Common Sense has a few things to say about this movie.
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Photo from the Active 3D Community.
One of the most intriguing discoveries Thunder makes is the presence of an ancient book known as the Magic Jack. This book holds the key to unlocking the true potential of the house's magic. With Cheshire's guidance, Thunder begins to unravel the secrets of the Magic Jack and learns to harness its power. As Thunder delves deeper into the House of Magic Jack, he encounters various challenges and obstacles. From facing magical creatures to solving riddles, Thunder tests his courage and intelligence. With each hurdle he overcomes, Thunder becomes more skilled in the art of magic, gradually transforming from an ordinary boy into a true magician. Along his journey, Thunder also discovers the importance of friendship. He meets a group of unlikely allies, including a talking broomstick and a sentient bookshelf. Together, they support each other and help Thunder overcome difficult situations. In the climactic finale, Thunder confronts the enigmatic and powerful Jack, the master of the house. It is revealed that Jack had been testing Thunder's worthiness all along, and Thunder must prove that he has truly mastered the magic of the house. With his newfound skills and unwavering determination, Thunder successfully completes the challenges set forth by Jack. As a reward, Thunder is granted the ability to visit the House of Magic Jack whenever he desires, becoming its rightful protector. Thunder and the House of Magic Jack is a thrilling adventure filled with magic, friendship, and self-discovery. It teaches us the importance of courage and perseverance in the face of challenges. Through Thunder's journey, we are reminded that magic exists within us all if only we dare to believe..
Reviews for "Thunder and the House of Magic Jack: An Instant Classic"
1. Michelle - 2/5 - Thunder and the House of Magic was a disappointment for me. The plot felt predictable and cliché, following the same old formula of a misunderstood protagonist finding a new home. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard for me to connect with any of them. Additionally, the animation felt outdated and lacked the polished quality that we expect from contemporary animations. Overall, I found it to be a forgettable and unoriginal film that failed to capture my interest.
2. David - 1/5 - I found Thunder and the House of Magic to be incredibly boring and uninspired. The story felt like a carbon copy of numerous other animated films, lacking any originality or fresh ideas. The characters were forgettable, and their dialogue was filled with clichés and predictable lines. The animation quality was subpar, with stiff movements and lackluster visual effects. I was genuinely disappointed by this film and would not recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and entertaining animated feature.
3. Samantha - 2/5 - As an adult viewer, Thunder and the House of Magic failed to capture my interest. The plot was aimed at a younger audience, and I found it to be overly simplistic and predictable. The characters were cute but lacked complexity, making it hard for me to feel invested in their journey. Additionally, the humor in the film fell flat, not appealing to my sense of wit. While the animation was visually appealing at times, it failed to compensate for the lackluster story and character development. Overall, Thunder and the House of Magic felt like a forgettable and shallow film that did not resonate with me.
4. Greg - 2/5 - Thunder and the House of Magic was a disappointing watch for me. The story was predictable and lacked surprises, following a formulaic structure that felt uninspired. The characters were forgettable, and their motivations felt underdeveloped. Additionally, the animation quality was subpar compared to other contemporary animated films, with some scenes appearing choppy and poorly rendered. While the film had its moments of charm, it failed to leave a lasting impression or provide a truly enjoyable viewing experience.