This movie was bally-hooed as more than the next step in animation. It was to be the next generation of movie making! It was supposed to usher in the era of 'digital actors' so lifelike that they would be licensed out to be in other movies, made to do incredible stunts and maybe even receive Oscar consideration. (This last debate would be shelved until Andy Serkis performed Gollum of the Lord of the Rings trilogy)
But, this was not to be. And not because they had over-stated the advances to the animation! No, this IS the most lifelike and impressive animation ever! The problem was that for the impressive visuals, there isn't much else to this movie. The story is plodding and non- sensical (even for Science Fiction) to the point that nobody in the group I went to see this film with could explain to me what we had just seen.
The characters were OK, but we never get much of chance to meet them because they're rushing around to complete the incomprehensible quest set before them. Having a quest is not a terrible convention in adventure movies, it gives the characters a motivation for doing whatever it is they do in the course of entertaining us. But, if neither the audience nor the characters understand the quest, it becomes a huge distraction. So, you end up spending your time trying to figure out the story instead of enjoying it.
In ice skating, the judges award two scores, one for technical merit and one for artistic impression. For this movie, I believe the technical merit is incredible, unfortunately the artist vision ends at the visuals.
But, this was not to be. And not because they had over-stated the advances to the animation! No, this IS the most lifelike and impressive animation ever! The problem was that for the impressive visuals, there isn't much else to this movie. The story is plodding and non- sensical (even for Science Fiction) to the point that nobody in the group I went to see this film with could explain to me what we had just seen.
The characters were OK, but we never get much of chance to meet them because they're rushing around to complete the incomprehensible quest set before them. Having a quest is not a terrible convention in adventure movies, it gives the characters a motivation for doing whatever it is they do in the course of entertaining us. But, if neither the audience nor the characters understand the quest, it becomes a huge distraction. So, you end up spending your time trying to figure out the story instead of enjoying it.
In ice skating, the judges award two scores, one for technical merit and one for artistic impression. For this movie, I believe the technical merit is incredible, unfortunately the artist vision ends at the visuals.