Review – An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
The Amblimation film, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, opened on this date in 1991. The film is a sequel to the animated classic, An American Tail (1986).
Synopsis:
Fievel and his mouse family move out west to find a better life far away from the cats that live in the city. They are unaware however that the cats out west are preparing the ultimate mousetrap. Fievel finds out about the dangerous trap but can’t find anyone that believes him. He now has to find a way to defend his family, and other mice, from the dangerous cats and their evil plans.
Positives:
- The animation is much richer in the American Tail sequel than it was in the original film.
- The cast’s voice work in the film is all well done. Dom DeLuise, John Cleese and James Stewart all give fine performances.
- Negatives:
- An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is a step down in quality from An American Tail. The story isn’t nearly as engaging as the original film. Fievel Goes West tries to hide its weak story by giving us more action than the original, but it is a failed distraction.
- The music was a major reason why American Tail worked so well. The music in Fievel Goes West is less memorable than the songs in An American Tail.
- The film is almost a complete retread of the story that we were introduced to in An American Tail; Fievel Goes West gives us nothing new.
- Animation legend, Don Bluth, directed the first American Tail. Bluth didn’t return for the sequel and his absence is definitely felt.
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is a disappointing step down from the original An American Tail. The music and story don’t work nearly as well as they did the first time we were introduced to Fievel and his family. The animation looks better in Fievel Goes West, but it all feels like the improvement is covering for the weak story. An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is not only a poor sequel—it’s a thinly plotted film that offers little to get excited about.
Rating: C