 “So, how did you like the movie?”
“It was okay, but it was a little girlish.”
“Girlish?”
“Yeah, unicorns are always kind of girlish.”
So said my son after his (and my) first viewing of The Last Unicorn, Rankin & Bass' 1982 animated adaptation of the popular novel by Peter S. Beagle. He's right, too. The unicorn sure was girlish. But he - and I - also liked the movie just fine, girlish unicorn and all. It's a fine children's film, non-threatening and entertaining. As a blast from the past for 30-somethings looking for nostalgia, The Last Unicorn may not live up to your memories, but I've little doubt modern day youngsters under 10 or 11 will enjoy this, assuming they haven't already been weaned on a steady diet of Pokemon.
The Last Unicorn's story goes like this: Unicorn, aka Amalthea (Mia Farrow), overhears some human hunters talking about her kind. If what they say is true she is the last unicorn in the world, to her great dismay. Not a pleasant fate! Naturally, this saddens her. She learns from a singing butterfly (yes, this is that kind of movie) that a creature called the Red Bull has forced all the unicorns of the world to some remote place, rapping them. So it is that the frilly, dainty unicorn sets off on a journey to find the rest of her people.
Her journey takes her into the clutches of a vile witch, into the friendship of a kindly (if bumbling) wizard, and finally to the remote castle of an old king, where she learns the pain of being human, the frightening reality of love, the terrible strain of being alone in the world, and ultimately, the fate of the world's unicorns. It's a big adventure packed into a short running time - and most importantly for parents looking for safe entertainment for their young children, it's an adventure that won't offend even the most conservative families.
 Though we have harpies and dragons and other creatures, The Last Unicorn is all but devoid of real violence. It's a G-rated film in the way they used to be, with songs, joy, and a sense of sincerity today's jaded teenagers would never swallow. Kids will, though, as long as they have an imagination. And a heart.
Of course, it's undeniable that the movie is a bit … twee. Until the journey and adventure kick in, we're treated to a dainty unicorn acting like, well, a dainty unicorn. Young boys getting old enough to notice girls but not old enough to admit it will roll their eyes, sigh and groan, and maybe even give up watching before the good stuff begins. If they stick with it, though, they'll find some enjoyable adventure with a few cool creatures and some fun characters. Just don't tell them about all the lovey dovey stuff coming later!
 Unless the notion of magic creatures makes you jumpy and worried about blasphemy (hard to imagine you'd be reading this site if it did), there is some good, though just short of classic, fun to be had here. The songs aren't as rousing as Disney songs, but they do their job in the tried and true Rankin & Bass way. And like Rankin & Bass animated features from the era, the animation is generally pretty good, with memorable, cartoonish characters and fantastic voice acting. Older viewers will instantly recognize the visual style, as well as some of the actors, most common to R&B films. Christopher Lee is a standout in this regard. His delivery as King Haggard is absolutely fantastic, children's movie or not.
I wouldn't make the argument that The Last Unicorn is an essential classic on par with Snow White or Peter Pan - the adventure isn't quite as rousing, though thematically it's surprisingly strong, albeit a bit subtle for kids - but parents won't have gone wrong getting this for younger viewers. It's good clean family adventure without a trace of self-consciousness.
 Disc Presentation
The 25th Anniversary release of The Last Unicorn is not going to test the capabilities of your home theater. Rankin & Bass weren't exactly on the bleeding edge of cell animation 25 years ago, and, well, it's 25 years later. And looks it. No question this is an older animated film, with washed out colors that don't pop and a muted palette and somewhat sketchy linework. That's not to say it looks bad - it doesn't when you consider the source - but when set next to modern animated features, it may seem a bit flat, especially with the standard R&B animation style.
So, too, does the included 5.1 audio track feel flat. No surprise, of course, but set your expectations accordingly.
It's worth mentioning, though, that if you're considering a movie like The Last Unicorn and you're worried about how it will look on your HDTV, your priorities are screwed. The transfer is fine for what it is - a 25-year-old animated movie that wasn't even cutting edge in its time, much less a quarter century later. Nothing special, but also nothing bad.
 Disc Extras
You're not getting the super-deluxe two-disc treatment, but what you do get is in keeping with the stature of the film, and as such is quite welcome. The featurette The Tail of The Last Unicorn is short and lacks depth or substance, but it entertains well enough and adds some value. Escape The Red Bull is one of those play-it-on-your-TV DVD games. It will entertain adults for about 14 seconds, and kids for about four and a half minutes. But who's complaining? I didn't expect extra stuff on this disc. Finally, we have an image gallery filled with all sorts of unicorny goodness. Quite nice, especially if you like the Rankin & Bass style.
The Bottom Line
It's kind of girly and kind of twee and will certainly not fly with the cynical people of the world, but The Last Unicorn nonetheless provides a warm, safe, and rich adventure likely to please younger children without annoying or offending mom and dad. Thirty-somethings hoping for a thrilling trip into nostalgia should tread with caution … unless those 30-somethings have kids of their own. In that case, dive in.
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