The Little Engine That Could (2011 film)

The Little Engine That Could
DVD cover
Directed by	Elliot M. Bour [1]
Screenplay by	David Koepp John Kamps Cliff Ruby Elana Lesser
Story by	David Koepp John Kramps
Based on	the book by Watty Piper
Produced by	Richard Rich
Starring	Alyson Stoner Whoopi Goldberg Patrick Warburton Jim Cummings Rodney Saulsberry Dominic Scott Kay Brenda Song Jamie Lee Curtis Charlie Schlatter Jodi Benson Corbin Bleu Jeff Bennett Khamani Griffin
Edited by	Joe Campana
Music by	Heitor Pereira
Production companies	Crest Animation Productions Universal Animation Studios
Distributed by	Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release date	March 22, 2011 (2011-03-22)
Running time	82 minutes [2]
Country	United States
Language	English

The Little Engine That Could is a 2011 American direct-to-video animated adventure film based on the 1930 story by Watty Piper (specifically based on the 2005 illustrations by Loren Long). ^[3] The film stars the voices of Alyson Stoner, Whoopi Goldberg, Corbin Bleu, Jodi Benson, Patrick Warburton and Jamie Lee Curtis. ^[4]

Plot

In the magical world of Dream Land, Little Engine is a small shunter who dreams to become a Dream Hauler, responsible for delivering wishes and dreams to the Real World. Encouraged by the old but wise Rusty, Little Engine continues to aspire to greater things.

In the Real World, a boy named Richard runs away to the local park after his grandfather's pocket watch is stolen by school bullies Scott and Stretch. He gets inside a train, unaware that it is Rusty who departs for Dream Land. Richard's accidental arrival causes the tunnel between worlds to collapse, stranding him and the trains. The Tower demotes Rusty to a track-cleaner, much to Little Engine's dismay. Learning about an ancient route over Dream Mountain, she offers to help by returning Richard to the Real World if Rusty is reinstated. The Tower agrees, although she is likely kidding.

Little Engine and Richard set out and are nearly run over by the high-speed Evening Express. They soon encounter Engine 35's birthday present train, which was derailed as a result of the tunnel collapse. When the larger engines refuse to believe that the old tracks exist, Little Engine, Richard, and the toys aboard the birthday train decide to continue alone. The group locates the old tracks and begins climbing Dream Mountain. Crossing a rickety wooden bridge, part of the structure collapses, puncturing a hole in Little Engine's water tank. By using a nearby pole to replace the broken rail, they finish crossing.

That night, Little Engine's leaking water tank leaves her stranded. A dark gray steam locomotive suddenly appears out of nowhere and offers to take Richard and the toys to the Real World. He is soon revealed to be the Nightmare Train and kidnaps Little Engine's friends. Ace the airplane escapes to help Little Engine by refilling her tank at a nearby water tower. Richard manages to escape as well and reunites with Little Engine, who pursues the Nightmare Train and rescues the others. With great effort, she climbs to the mountain's peak, opening the portal to the Real World. The toys are delivered, and almost no time has passed when Richard returns to his school.

After bidding farewell to Little Engine, Richard finally stands up to Scott and Stretch, reclaiming his grandfather's watch. The bullies are punished by the principal, while Richard heads home and decides to keep his adventure in Dream Land a secret. Meanwhile, Little Engine is promoted to a Dream Hauler, Rusty is reinstated and honored with a ticker tape parade, and the toys find new homes and new owners in the Real World. The Nightmare Train, defeated, is left derailed on a snowbank.

Voice cast

Attributed to the following source: ^{[5] [ additional citation(s) needed ]}

• Alyson Stoner as Little Engine, a steam shunter engine who dreams of being a Dream Hauler and becomes close friends with Richard
• Whoopi Goldberg as Tower, a control tower who is in charge of everyone in the train yard
• Patrick Warburton as Caboose, a red caboose who is part of the birthday train
• Jeff Bennett as Red Engine, the red #35 Dream Hauler
  • Bennett also voices Hudson, a green and white sock monkey with a British accent who serves as the vice leader of the toys and Little Engine's fireman
• Mocean Melvin as Big Locomotive, a silver streamlined Dream Hauler with purple and orange stripes
• Jim Cummings as Rusty, a senior Dream Hauler and friend to Little Engine
  • Cummings also voices the Evening Express, a white streamlined Dream Hauler who pulls a fast express
• Rodney Saulsberry as Freight Train, a green and orange Dream Hauler who hauls heavy freight trains
  • Saulsberry also voices Bud, a toy giraffe. He is much less talkative compared to Lou and does not speak until near the end of the film.
• Brenda Song as Shiny Passenger Train, a yellow Dream Hauler who is very full of herself. She is one of many who was sent to help dig out the tunnel.
• Chelsea Erinne Evered as an unnamed pink and white diesel engine who gives Rusty a broom-plow in place of his cowcatcher and gives it back at the end of the film.
• Ray Porter as Nightmare Train, a black experimental^{[ original research? ]} steam engine with power over nightmares
• Dominic Scott Kay as Richard, a boy who is brought to Dream Land when Rusty accidentally falls asleep on the job, ripping a hole in the dream-reality continuum. Little Engine volunteers to take him home, and they become close friends.
• Khamani Griffin as Marcus, Richard's best friend.
• Michael Rodrigo and Luke Williams as Scott and Stretch, a pair of bullies who antagonize Richard in the real world.
• Jamie Lee Curtis as Bev, a female clown toy who serves as the leader of the toys and Little Engine's engineer
• Charlie Schlatter as Major, a toy soldier who often finishes his sentences with "sir". He gives up his badge to help bandage a leak in Little Engine's water tank.
• Jodi Benson as Jillian, a ballerina doll who dances when she is happy
• Corbin Bleu as Lou, a toy giraffe who forms a duo with Bud

Reception

Common Sense Media gave the film three stars stating that young train fans will enjoy the message-filled ride. ^[6]

Jon Lyus from HeyUGuys wrote, "It’s a perfectly fine version of the story. It is however shameless in its influence. You may know the BBC series Chuggington ? Well this is virtually identical to that in looks, in fact it’s as if the Chuggington trains are on a hour long sugar high and decide to put on a play." The review gave the movie a 2.5 on a 5 point scale. ^[7]

See also

• The Little Engine That Could – the book it was based on
• The Little Engine That Could (1991 film) – the film adaptation of said book

References

1. "The Little Engine That Could - DVD Netflix". Archived from the original on August 10, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2023– via dvd.netflix.com.
2. "The Little Engine That Could" . Retrieved May 20, 2023– via mubi.com.
3. The little engine that could. Penguin Group. 2015. ISBN   9780399173875.
4. "The Little Engine That Could (2011) - Elliot M. Bour, Elliot Bour | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023– via www.allmovie.com.
5. "The Little Engine That Could - Cast and Crew". www.allmovie.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
6. "The Little Engine That Could Movie Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
7. Lyus, Jon (October 10, 2011). "DVD Review: The Little Engine That Could". HeyUGuys. Retrieved July 30, 2025.

External links

• The Little Engine That Could at IMDb
• Trailer on YouTube
• "The Little Engine That Could - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. April 19, 2011. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2023.