Review: The Railway Children Return

Even though it has been a very long time since I have seen the 1970 original, I still remember how much of a joyous watch 'The Railway Children' is. It really is a British classic and I hope future generations discover it as well.

When I first heard they were doing a sequel, you naturally feel cautious. Especially since it has been a 52 year gap.

Director of the original Lionel Jeffries had a style that was unique and rare to match. But with Jenny Agutter returning to extend her legacy and the filming returning to West Yorkshire, I did have hope that at least some of that magic would return.

It goes at an expected gentle pace and there are some nice and wholesome moments that reminded me of kids films of old and those Sunday afternoon BBC family dramas.

But there was also an unexpectedly serious topic emerging within the plot that I'm not sure needed to be involved. However, their commitment to this plot strand won me over enough to accept and gave us some solidly executed themes that you hope will resonate well with the kids checking this out.

The cast all do a solid job. Beau Gadsdon is a great stand out. The strength in her performance showed to everyone she can carry this film. A great passing of the torch from Agutter being in the lead in the original. I felt she also helped the younger child actors that she partnered on-screen with. I really hoped this a breakthrough moment and we get to see more of her.

Agutter was a solid support. You know she has a strong passion for this story and her contribution was noticeable. As was Sheridan Smith. While she has become a bit typecast lately, she does those roles pretty well. Her screen presence is constantly welcoming and her smile is hard to ignore.

It was great seeing the old locations be used again. But with a more modern budget and updated filming technology, the overall imagery did not feel as grounded and magical. However, there is still a charm to it. The performances and sequences involved make for a fun time and there are some well executed call-backs to some memorable scenes from the original which will please the fans.

I think the choices made in what to be the main focus of the plot just instantly made it an uphill task to win the audience over.

But while the serious topics were covered in a way that was purely aimed at the younger viewers, it still ended up a pleasurable and charming watch. There are a lot of likable characters, the vibe it gives off is very positive and you can tell the people involved making it are fans of the original and understand it.

I can't see myself watching it again sadly. But it felt it was worth my time and I can see families enjoying this one. You don't often see kids films in this tone and setting these days and it would be great if these succeeded financially. 

Rating: 7/10