“Franklin & the Turtle Lake Treasure” (2006)

Franklin & the Turtle Lake Treasure

Also Known As: “Franklin & le trésor du lac,” “Benjamin & le Trésor du lac”

Brief Description:

Granny falling ill during a visit from Aunt Lucy, who knows about a special talisman that may cure the illness. She joins Franklin on a quest to find it, along with his friends Bear, Beaver, and Snail, and Aunt Lucy's goddaughter, Samantha.

(from Wikipedia)

Date: 2006

Genre: children's animated adventure drama film

Running time: 1 hour 25 minutes 

Cast: 

Cameron Ansell as Franklin

Marc McMulkin as Bear

Leah Cudmore as Beaver

Tajja Isen as Samantha & young Granny Turtle

Kristen Bone as Snail

Doug Murray as Grizzly

Corinne Conley as Granny Turtle

Shauna Black as Aunt Lucy

Hannah Endicott-Douglas as Little Crow

Elizabeth Saunders as Mrs. Turtle

Richard Newman as Mr. Turtle

Bryn McAuley as Harriet

Patricia Gage as the Old Turtle

Mari Trainor as Dr. Bear

Helen Taylor as Mrs. Falcon

Isaac Pustil, Emma Pustil, & Joshua Isen as the Baby Chicks

Director: Dominique Monféry

Production/Distribution Company: Alphanim, Les Studios DSO, Nelvana, StudioCanal, Europool, LuxAnimation, & Mars Distribution

Based On: Franklin the Turtle by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark

Wikipedia Page

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Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 4/5 

I watched this once many years ago and remembered nothing except that it was sad. Rewatching it this time, I liked how it captured the Franklin atmosphere (even if it's way too computer animated–y). I loved the classic Canadian summer family time this showcased 💙 

Characters: 3.5/5 

Because not all of the voice actors are the same as in the original Nelvana show, I did feel like some of the characters are different—Bear, for example, felt less wholesome (he's my favourite in the show, so I missed that!). Franklin is pretty good; Harriet sounds a bit too old but she barely shows up so it's fine; Snail is well done too; Beaver feels really lacking but she also has little screen time. Little Crow was super cute; and Samantha was okay... not my favourite, but I didn't dislike her. 

Plot: (2.5/5)

Granny's backstory was super interesting to see, since we saw Franklin's other grandma's backstory in Franklin's Magic Christmas. Unfortunately, this one has more magic involved. When Granny thinks of her lost time capsule and falls ill, the kids decide to go find the time capsule to make her feel better. Aunt Lucy suggests visiting "Old Turtle," whom Franklin's father calls a witch and Aunt Lucy calls a mystic, and that she has a talisman that turtle ancestors made and that they thought held life force. When they meet up with Old Turtle, who sends a bunch of butterflies to find them, she tells them she lived so long because of the talisman and that Granny's father had one too. She undergoes a sort of vision where she tells them how to find the talisman. This later comes true, and the talisman is returned to Granny. She doesn't react, but when a picture of her parents is put in her hands, she wakes up from her fever. Franklin's mother says the talisman really did help her; but Franklin says she was helped by "something stronger than magic." 

In short, though I enjoyed the rest of the film, the magical part was just too prominent. 

Romance: 4/5

Bear insinuates that Samantha might be Franklin's girlfriend. 

Content: 5/5

Mild euphemisms. 

Violence: 5/5

Baby chicks try to eat Snail. 

Overall: 2.5/5

It had so much potential but I just can't get past the magic. 🫤