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For "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" (2001)

(Recovered with the Wayback Machine, dated 29 Aug 03.)

128 out of 135 people found this review helpful

Atlantis has received mixed reviews, and the box office was mediocre, which means a lot of people passed on it. That's too bad, because it's a lot of fun, and for those with a romantic view of Atlantis it's a dream come true.

This isn't your typical Disney movie. In fact, it's hard to believe this is the same studio that made the execrable "Emperor's New Groove" a year earlier. The princess knows Thai Kickboxing, the hero is a skinny linguist and the animals neither sing nor talk. A lot of loving care went into the film. There is a complete Atlantean language, the gorgeous Atlantean world was meticulously designed, the pulp-era technology is exquisite, and the rich history given to the "modern" characters shines through in the superior writing.

That writing is most evident in the banter, which is sharp, witty and often drop-dead funny. Entire scenes are shamelessly stolen by Don "Vinny" Novello. While Disney clearly wanted to get a PC cast, none of the supporting cast are the caricatures they seem to be, which becomes evident as the movie progresses. The obligatory romance is surprisingly well done, and the haunting power of Atlantis is almost a character itself.

Meanwhile, the animation is just about perfect. Aside from a few pinched faces, the stylized art helps set the tone magnificently, and in my opinion, this is the first animated feature to truly blend traditional animation and CGI seamlessly. The climax is one of the great animation sequences of all time (don't take my word for it; see Roger Ebert's review on his site) and while the artists obviously worked hard for the "oh, wow" moments, they succeeded wonderfully. Atlantis has become one of our favorite movies.

To be honest, this movie isn't for everyone. If you're allergic to anything New Age, don't like classic pulp-style adventure, or think Disney should be for younger kids, give it a pass. But if you want rousing adventure with a sense of fun and wonder, find Atlantis: the Lost Empire!

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