Ducktales: Der Film - Jäger der verlorenen Lampe

Without the rosy turbidity of nostalgia, the last adventure of the classic Duck Tales turns out to be a less radiant spectacle than one remembers it from childhood. Though in its time the series, in the context of television productions, was considered to be top-notch in terms of the quality of animation and the finale even premiered in cinemas, the animation is actually at a rather disappointing level due to a combination of technology and budget, because at the time it was the last television project to be made the old-fashioned way, using ultra-fans (cel animation), where the limited production resources become most apparent. The characteristic amoeba-like nature of the characters’ movements is thus a rather unintended side effect of the rapid drawing of the interphases. However, Disney’s indoctrination of children with respect to gender stereotypes at the time is even harder on the eyes. It's not so much that Daisy wears a big pink bow, while Huey, Dewey and Louie wear caps, but that she is portrayed as accommodating and passive. When she does somehow express herself, as here specifically with her wishes that the genie is supposed to grant to her, she comes off as a complete fool. Fortunately, at least at the level of the mix of shenanigans and fantastical adventures, Duck Tales retains some qualities, though those in this particular special are largely derived from the acknowledged inspirations in Indiana Jones’s escapades. It's only right that after 37 years, the Disney Channel decided to update Duck Tales for today in a new reboot. (25.04.2021)