I was pretty much expecting an exploitative mess from this movie, but it isn't. It's cute and fun, with a lot of quite attractive set and character design (I loved the CGI Irontail's whiskers) and some likeable new characters. The plot is a fantasy well within the typical scope of a classic Rankin-Bass holiday special, wthout feeling rehashed, tired or dated. I seem to vaguely remember Jack Frost being a hero or narrator of one of the more minor specials, and found it amusing that his successor was a villain. Even the songs are okay.

On the weak side of this Easter flick: it trots out every but-this-is-MY-generation cliché, sometimes overtly appeals to trendiness and cheap laughs (like Irontail's 'real' name, an intriguing and legitimate plot question wasted on a kindergarten-level gag) and there are a few inconsistencies with the original. (Primarily, Antoine has de-butterflied and spends the movie as a caterpillar.)

But I think the average nostalgiac adult can watch it safely without gagging, and probably even enjoy it. And the kids should be enchanted.

I had taped this movie, when it premiered on TV on CBC (on Easter Sunday of course), and I was quite surprised with the excellent CGI animation that was put into it, and I also find the casting was good too; I love the talents of Tom Kenny as both Cottontail & Cottontail Jr. and Antoine the French Caterpillar (which is weird because he was suppose to be a butterfly after the original); and Roger Moore as Irontail. I also love the kaleidoscope of color as put into the main title sequence, and in the "I'm Ready" musical sequence (that was excellent stuff).

All of the above, I find this film,an enjoyable sequel to the original Rankin/Bass special (I love animation from Rankin/Bass you know).