Archie the rabbit and Duke the guinea pig have it all: a nice warm hutch and all the carrots they can eat. But somehow Archie longs for something more... and on Christmas Eve when a wrapped present tumbles off Father Christmas' sleigh and lands smack in the middle of their shed, it seems like Archie's wish has been answered. But it will take the wise advice of their hamster friend Babs before Archie and Duke can start on what turns out to be a great adventure.

Second Star to the Left is very clearly aimed at a fairly young audience, and I think it will find a great deal of favor with younger viewers and their parents. What's really nice about this short film is that while the main story is a fairly straightforward child-oriented adventure, it includes enough charm and humor that adult viewers will also find it entertaining.

The story takes place on a fairly small scale, with clearly defined characters whom younger viewers will find quite appealing: Archie, the dreamy rabbit; Duke, the lazy and good-hearted guinea pig; and Babs, the practical and intelligent hamster. The voice acting is quite well done, and adults as well as kids will enjoy the distinct personalities of the three protagonists. The animals' adventures as they try to return the present in time for Christmas follow a consistent pattern: a build-up to a dangerous or problematic situation, followed by a return to safety and possibly some humor, before the cycle repeats. All in all, it works quite well, and the film moves along at a nice but not hurried pace for its 29 minutes.

Visually, Second Star to the Left is appealing as well. The backgrounds are done in a soft, sketchy manner, as if hand-drawn with colored pencils; the characters are done in a slightly more traditional cartoon style, with solid colors and well-defined borders. The combination gives the film a somehow warm and inviting feeling to it, as if the characters have come to life inside a picture book, as well as a unique visual appearance.

Second Star to the Left is unrated in the United States, but it would certainly merit a G rating, just as it has received in Canada. Parents will enjoy watching this film with their kids, but they can also feel assured that it's completely appropriate for even young kids to watch by themselves.

The DVD

Video

Second Star to the Left appears in a lovely anamorphic widescreen transfer (1.85:1). The image always looks fresh and clear, with no edge enhancement that I could see. The print is also extremely clean, with no noise or flaws at all. Colors are bright and cheerful, and overall the image simply looks outstanding.

Audio

The Dolby 2.0 soundtrack handles the voices quite well, with all the actors sounding clear and distinct. The music is well balanced with the rest of the track; my only complaint is an artistic one, as I didn't care for the gratuitous sentimental pop songs that are shoehorned in, late in the movie.

Extras

A seven-minute "making-of" featurette is included, and is actually quite interesting. It relies a bit too heavily on clips from the film, but otherwise it's not promotional in style; the main focus is on the director and creator, who explains his vision behind various aspects of the film. A trivia game is also included.

Final thoughts

Second Star to the Left is a light-weight but quite enjoyable Christmas-themed children's film. With its short length (only 29 minutes) and simple plot, it's aimed at younger viewers, but the charming and funny characters and situations make it enjoyable for adults as well. It's recommended.