Ducktales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (Film Review)

1990 Buena Vista Pictures
Directed by: Bob Hathcock; Written by: Alan Burnett
Starring: Alan Young, Terrence McGovern, Russi Taylor, Richard Libertini, Christopher Lloyd, June Foray, Chuck McCann, Joan Gerber, and Rip Taylor
MPAA Rating: G; Running Time: 73 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 7/10

Scrooge McDuck and his niece and nephews brave the deserts of Egypt in search of a massive pile of treasure. Little do they know, their mewling assistant, Dijon, is working in league with a powerful, immortal, and evil sorcerer named Merlock, who is only interested in one particular item in the massive treasure trove. When Scrooge's crew find the treasure deep within an ancient tomb, Dijon double-crosses, and Merlock gets away with the treasure, except for the one item he actually wants...a magic lamp. A dejected Scrooge lets the kids have the seemingly innocuous lamp, but when one of the little mallards is goofing around with it, out comes a wacky genie, granting each of the kids three wishes. Unfortunately, Merlock soon finds out where the lamp is...and with his magic talisman that grants unlimited wishes, he'll do anything to get it.
1990's Ducktales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp should have been the ultimate triumph of the late 80's/early 90's Disney animation block, but instead the movie somehow flopped at the box office, and another Ducktales movie never came. It's a shame, though, as Treasure of the Lost Lamp is quite good. For one thing, the TV animation team hit the ground running for their first cinematic foray, and Ducktales the Movie looks great. Alan Burnett, who'd go on to pen many well-regarded animated films, including Batman: Mask of the Phantasm just three years later, provides a sharp, tightly written script. The characters have already been fully formed and tested in the animated series and comics, and the talented voice team bring them to life better than ever, especially the ever reliable Alan Young as Scrooge.
However, it's the film's sense of adventure that acts as its biggest selling point. From Lost Lamps'  Indiana Jones font and Drew Struzan-painted ad poster, to its incredible, booby-trap and stunt-laden Egypy-set opening gambit, the film is one of Disney's rare offerings to young male viewers. There are no songs here, only an excellent, bombastic and fantastical score by David Newman. Then there are the epic final 20 minutes, where Merlock transforms Scrooge's money bin into a castle of horrors, and our wizened, miserly, yet wily protagonist has to face off against a monstrous version of the dastardly villain. The only lull for me as an adult watching this now is the film's midsection, where the kids play with the genie around the house, frivolously wasting their wishes away. I'm sure most kids won't mind these scenes.
In another world, Disney didn't buy and ruin brands like Lucasfilm and Marvel in search of male viewers. In that world, Ducktales the Movie was a huge success, and they've made ten of them, five or six Rescue Ranger films, and even a couple Tailspins and Darkwing Ducks. But in this world, where Disney have ruined Star Wars, and Indiana Jones, and Marvel, at least we still have 1990's Ducktales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp.