Atlantis - The Lost Empire

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Atlantis rises again, 2010-01-23
Despite getting alot of flack from animation buffs, Disney made a genuine effort to make a musical-free adventure movie in the spirit of Raiders. Even though very influenced by the works of Jules Verne, and the art stylings of Mike Mignola(Hellboy), this steampunk film was brilliantly animated and delivers in ways that the last Indiana Jones movie didn't. br / br /Taking place in 1914, Milo Thatch is an expert in cartography, but unfortunetly stuck working in the boiler room of a history museum. After failing to convince his curators to investigate some recent findings he believes will proove the existence of the lost kingdom of Atlantis, he is luckily hired an eccentric millionaire who was an old explorer buddy of his grandfather. Milo becomes part of an excavation team going in a totally ahead of its time submarine to find Atlantis, commanded by the opportunistic Rourke. Using an ancient journal, they track their way underwater to a tunnel that is supposed to lead to their goal, but they're attacked by a giant mechanical sea monster and have to abandon their submarine into smaller mini-subs. They manage to find a series of underground caverns, which eventually leads to the actual city of Atlantis. Milo and the others are shocked to discover that there is an actual living civilization of people there who can conveniently speak English. They are turned away by the xenophobic Atlantian king, but his daughter Kida(who is Disney's finest Princess, and the first black one!)befriends the nerdy-as-hell Milo, and together they manage to decipher where the mysterious power source that supports their society, and has kept them alive for the last few millenia. However, its revealed that Rourke and most of his team were really looking for the power source too, which is a mystic floating crystal, and after taking the king hostage, they make their way to the crystal chamber. Kida becomes infused with the crystal's powers, and Rourke makes off with her, leaving the king dying of a gunshot wound. Milo gets some of the remaning crew along with the other Atlanteans to go after them with some reactivated flying machines. After a pretty intense chase scene, they catch up with Rourke and stop him. The crystal is restored, and Kida becomes the new tribal leader. Milo decides to stay behind(who wouldn't want to spend eternity with a hot bikini babe?!)while the other explorers make it back to the surface with a bunch of treasure. br / br /Atlantis was a serious step up from some of Disney's other action/adventure films. Granted, ones like Aladdin, The Black Cauldron, and Treasure Planet had decent elements of thrills spills, but Atlantis went that extra couple of yards to make it real swashbuckling ride. There's a fine use of CGI along with traditional 2d Disney animation, although its one of the few ones they did in anamorphic widescreen which totally broadens the scope of visual experience for an underwater adventure. The movie also has one of the finest casts in a Disney film, with Michael J. Fox as Milo, James Garner as Rourke, veteran voice actress Cree Summer as Kida, Leonard Nimoy as the king, and Jim Varney in his last film role. If you passed on this film when it was in the theatres, make sure to catch it on DVD(and hopefully soon on Blu-Ray). Even though you can sorta skip on the sequal.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

A DISNEY FILM THAT PACKS ONE HELLUVA PUNCH 9.25 OUT OF 10, 2009-12-13
Oh Disney, where has your creativity gone? This film is one of your most bold efforts and easily one of the best Disney films I've ever seen. Now I'm being showered in crap with egregious efforts like Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons. I'm disappointed with the response this film received. It didn't do very well in terms of critical response (46% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a 52 out of 100 on Metacritic), and while moviegoers in general were positive, this film still got flack from a good number of people. This is probably one of the most underrated Disney efforts next to The Black Cauldron and Dinosaur, and it deserved so much better. br /WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Year: 1914. Milo Thatch doesn't have much going for him in life, but he is obsessed about finding the lost city of Atlantis. But then when he goes home to his apartment, he finds a mysterious woman sitting inside and she wants him to meet her employer who wants to make an offer with him. What ensues is a massive (And epic) adventure to find Atlantis, but as things go along, things get more sinister, and then it is realized that Atlantis must be saved. br /MUSIC: This music is phenomenal and fits along with the mood flawlessly. From its quiet status to its booming orchestral score, it rocks quite simply. br /ACTING: All of the actors were really good and I can't think of anything wrong with their performances. They were witty and they managed to feel alive and they actually had different and unique personalities to each of them. br /ACTION: This is the best part of the film. The action sequences are absolutely spectacular, to the point of where you sometimes wonder how this film didn't get slapped with a PG-13 rating. It's explosive at every turn and this film easily has some of the best action scenes I've ever seen. They are most certainly a sight to behold. Plus, I loved how everything was designed and everything felt so imaginative. br /OVERALL: The only problem with this film is the fact the story didn't go as far as it could have. But other than that, this film is incredible, spectacular, and a feast for the eye wonder that should not be missed. br /THE GOOD: The music, the animation, the acting, the action scenes, and a very intriguing plot. br /THE BAD: Story doesn't go as far as it could have.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Atlantis, 2009-11-01
I love this movie and so does my boyfriend. I got it for him as an anniversary gift. The first disc he got did not work, so I came back to the website and was able to get it replaced for free. Amazon.com is great; it's helpful, convenient, and makes sure the customer is happy!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Atlantis the Lost Empire, 2009-10-28
I greatly enjoyed this film. It became one of my favorite disney films. The DVD shipped quickly from Amazon.com and I received it in perfect condition. It is a family adventure film and I highly recommend it!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

In search of a lost city . . ., 2009-07-08
This is yet another underrated Disney film that should have been far more successful, if it would've been done a bit more right this time. Let's take a look at the good and the bad... br / br /PROS: Like Treasure Planet and Brother Bear, the 2D animation is some of the finest and most beautiful ever seen. The graphics and the designs of Atlantis are simply more than just candy for the eyes; it's a banquet for the eyes and the mind (when it comes to inspiration). Another thing about Atlantis: The Lost Empire is that it's not really for little kids. It's seems to be a bit more for adults, mainly because of the characters and the concept mythology of the lost city. Another rarity that's found in this Disney film is the total body count. I won't go into this topic very much; I'll just say that there are more than just two deaths that's found here. Most people may find it disturbing, but I found it to be a real break from tradition, indicating that Disney can be more than just kid and teenage stuff. br / br /CONS: Now for the not-so-good. I do find some of the characters very fascinating, and sometimes very hilarious. But a few really did annoy me in some cases. For example, Milo, the main protagonist, isn't really that irritating when onscreen. But when he realizes what he must do to save the people of Atlantis and starts gathering them around for the climactic battle, his growing courage, along with his loud proclamation, look a bit too silly and over-the-top. Kida is a very beautiful character, and I found nothing wrong with her, but I did wish she didn't look TOO shocked the first time she sees Milo. Audrey the mechanic was another minor problem: I wish the animators didn't make her lips too big. br / br /OVERALL: With all the minor flaws aside, Atlantis: The Lost Empire really succeeds in creating fantastic and beautiful visuals. I especially love the design of the lost city and the terrifying Leviathan. The characters (especially Vinny and Mole) can be liked by people of any age. And finally, the climax of the film has to be one of the most spectacular scenes ever created in the history of Disney. With all the non-stop CGI films that are out right now (like Wall-E, The Incredibles, Chicken Little, etc.), this can be a very good alternative. br / br /Grade: B+