While all the Dot films up to this point were well worth watching, ranging from good to very good and good representations of Australian animation, to me the best films in the series are 'Dot and the Whale' and this, 'Dot and the Smugglers'.Despite all of the Dot films being well worth watching, 'Dot and the Smugglers' is one of the few that has very little wrong with it. Maybe occasionally it goes a touch too heavy on the sentiment, making a couple of the cutesier, sentimental scenes a touch cloying. That is a very big emphasis on the word occasionally however, and trust me it has been done far worse in animation and films of all genres before and since.The animation shows great technical improvement over when the series first started with 'Dot and the Kangaroo', and generally 'Dot and the Smugglers' alongside 'Dot and the Whale' is one of the better-looking Dot films. Character designs are less rough, the colours are more vibrant and, while the backgrounds and incorporation of live-action/anthropomorphic have always looked good, the backgrounds are particularly meticulous in their detail.It is agreed too that 'Dot and the Smugglers' has one of the best soundtracks of all the Dot films. Most of them are good anyway, but along with 'Dot and the Whale' this is a case of all the songs working rather than having a song or two that you're not sure about. "Are You Going to the Circus?" and "Our Submarine" fare especially well.The script is chuckle-worthy-at-least funny, heart-breakingly poignant and affectionately heart-warming. The story is incredibly charming, with parts that make one feel good and others that may induce tears. Also there is a real sense of threat, done in a suspenseful way even when one knows how it will all end. The conservation message is strong and really rings true without being heavy-handed (an oft danger with films with messages).Characters are great. Dot is endearing, the animals are adorable and the villain is both fun and threatening. The voice acting is good, one of the better-voiced Dot films from personal opinion.Summarising, of an enjoyable series of films 'Dot and the Smugglers' is one of the best. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I honestly believe that "Dot & the Smugglers" breathes life back into the "Dot" series. After the overly political "Dot & the Koala" (which Dot didn't appear until much later into the film and even then was only a supporting character) and "Dot & the Whale", it's a great welcome that we get a "Dot" film that doesn't bombard us excessive political themes (I'm guessing that Yoram Gross learned not to go overboard with it after "Dot & the Koala" and "Dot & the Whale")."Dot & the Smugglers" begins when circus ringmaster Sprag and his dopey assistant Scarface arrive in Dot's small town. When they hear about the town's bunyip, they instantly dismiss it as a fairytale, but when they hear that the bunyip is real (they listen to two men at the lake discuss it and one of them pulls out a newspaper clipping of the bunyip), they decide to capture it and sell it as Sprag and Scarface are really smugglers who use their circus as a front for capturing exotic wild animals and selling them overseas. They set up a bunyip hunting competition in the town, claiming that the person who brings them the bunyip will be handsomely rewarded. Anyhoo, Dot and her two nameless male friends go to the circus where they see two boxing Kangaroos, Bruiser and Boxer, forced to box each other. Dot is horrified, but everyone else loves it. Dot finds out about the bunyip catching contest and is against it; the two boys agree to "help" Sprag capture wild birds and ultimately the bunyip. Dot ,aided by her animal friends and the boxing kangaroos, goes on the warpath to stop the smugglers from capturing the bunyip.Given that the film could of been overly political- what with it's theme of selling stolen wild animals on the black market- "Dot & the Smugglers" has almost none of it at all: in fact the ONLY remotely political thing in the film is when one of the stolen birds calls the guard dogs traitors because they are also animals and the guard dog returns the fire by saying that they (the stolen birds) should count their blessings that they're only being sold overseas instead of being stuffed. Kudos to Yoram Gross for keeping the political themes to the absolute minimum."Dot & the Smugglers" also has a great soundtrack (but then again don't all of the "Dot" films ;) ) "Are You Going to the Circus?", from "Dot & Santa Clause" is here- sung by Sprag- but the second chorus is as long as the first (that is, it has the verse "there's lots of lovely music, come and listen to the band" and the other verse I can't remember; they weren't in "Dot & Santa Clause") as well as some original songs such as Dot's "Best Friends" and "Work Together" and (my personal favourites next to "Are You Going to the Circus?") "Our Submarine" and it's (longer) reprise. I swear, you'll have those songs stuck in your head and will sing along to them! So, in general, "Dot & the Smugglers" is a great, refreshing change from the overboard political themes that plagued "Dot & the Koala" and "Dot & the Whale". "Dot & the Smugglers" is a must see for all fans of Yoram Gross and the "Dot" films.