OK, before I get laughed outta court having read the other reviews here - here's what this thing's main problem is - background/foreground interaction. Whoever did the backgrounds, INCLUDING the water, REALLY knew that animation package - they were superb. The problem IS - he should have been given control of ALL the animation including the foregrounds, the creatures were a leetle ropey. Their perspective was dodgy front-end on and you DID glimpse the waves THROUGH the baddie's mouth sometimes. And the mouth movements didn't quite keep up with the words but don't forget the English version's a redub. (That's not budget - they had the software - that's just sloppiness in using it.) So for sure it had techie issues. BUT.... I loved its song (honest!) I think there was room for a Group Sing at the end too. I loved its message - was at a low point when I watched it and the 'Follow Your Dream' message sure gave me a much-needed kick in the pants! Its audience was little kids and it wasn't QUITE engaging enough - again true - but techie issues aside I loved all the characters. I wish Daniel had kept his g/f, I'd've loved to see them surf that wave together even if they did part afterwards. But it's well worth its 6/10 for the guy who did the backgrounds. I felt every bit of heart he put into them, kudos to him, I hope he gets much more work outta it. I felt a lot - not all - of people put a lot of work/heart into that thing, if the WHOLE team had done - money men included - it would've been a winner. Remember the message. Remember the lovely water and gorgeous backgrounds. And it should've been called DANIEL - Story of a Dreamer (The Dolphin's too generic.) Missed opportunity - if you're being harsh, yes. I prefer to call it a slightly flawed pearl. But it's NOT the waste of space others are calling it, go along with it for the ride and you'll come out on the crest of Daniel's wave.
Chris.
Chris.