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Europa-Park Family Ventures into Animation with ‘Grand Prix of Europe’
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A new animated feature, Grand Prix of Europe, marks the filmmaking debut of the Mack family, owners of the popular Europa-Park, though the film’s narrative execution leaves something to be desired. The 98-minute film, a digitally-animated family offering, arrives with an English-language dub featuring the voices of Thomas brodie-Sangster and gemma Arterton.
The story centers around Edda Euromausi and Ed Euromaus, cheery blue-eyed mice mascots of Europa-Park, and their unexpected involvement in a high-stakes racing competition. While the mascots may not be household names in Australia – a point the review acknowledges, contrasting their recognition with that of Disneyland characters – Europa-Park itself is a meaningful attraction, drawing millions of annual visitors since its founding in 1975.
A Family Legacy on Display
The Mack family’s century-long history in the fairground ride business is prominently featured, with half-a-dozen family members listed as co-producers. This is their first foray into feature filmmaking, undertaken with assistance from Warner Bros. The narrative begins at a modest, family-owned amusement park, a stark contrast to the sprawling Europa-Park. This smaller park, run by Edda’s father Erwin (voiced by Lenny Henry), struggles with economic pressures, facing debts and dilapidated attractions like a “shaky-looking rollercoaster” and a malfunctioning merry-go-round.
A Convenient Plot Twist
Coincidence intervenes when the annual Grand prix of europe is announced, coinciding with Edda’s aspirations as a race car driver and a striking physical resemblance between her and the reigning champion, Ed. A conveniently timed injury to Ed – partially caused by Edda – sets the stage for her to secretly take his place in the race,with the prize money offered as a solution to Erwin’s financial woes.
The Grand Prix itself unfolds as a series of chaotic street races across iconic European locations: Paris, the Swiss Alps, the Italian coast, and london. Competitors travel between locations via zeppelin, a visually appealing element of the film. The reviewer notes the film’s aesthetic similarities to a video game, particularly in its design, highlighting the “sunsets glimpsed through the windows of the zeppelin” and Edda’s “maroon leather jacket” as standout elements.
Plotting Lags Behind Visuals
However, the film’s plot proves less compelling. The dynamic between Edda and Ed, characterized by constant sparring, feels underdeveloped, even hinting at a potential sibling connection that ultimately goes unexplored.The reviewer points to a lack of narrative cohesion, noting the disappearance of initially promising villains – a pair of feline bruisers named Mittens (Matt Moselle) and Fluffy (Nate Begle) – after an early appearance.
“Raising such objections always seems like joyless nitpicking,” the reviewer concedes, “but I’ll bet the Macks are a good deal more meticulous when it comes to their rollercoasters.” This observation underscores a potential disconnect between the famil
