I almost hate to say it, but I have to give credit where credit is due. I'm thinking Zach Snyder should stick to animation, because he actually did something right for a change.
It might be because this story was already written for him and all he had to do was transfer it onto screen, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I liked it even more than "Toy Story 3," which I thought would be the best animated feature of the year. But for me, "Legend of the Guardians" is the winner.
Based on the very popular children's books "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" by Kathryn Lasky, it is the story of a young Barn Owl, Soren, who grows up obsessed with the legends his father tells him of the great warrior owls, the Guardians.
He gets kidnapped with his older brother Kludd by a group of evil owls known as the Pure Ones, who are using young owls as slaves to gather special pieces of metal called flecks to create a trap for their enemies. During their capture, Nyra and Metalbeak, the leaders of the Pure Ones, poison Kludd against his brother and he is trained to be a warrior. During captivity, Soren meets a friend Gylfie, an Elf Owl, who learn to fly from Grimble, a member of the Pure Ones who wants to rebel against them. He teaches them to fly and dies helping them escape so they can warn the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole.
Along the way, they make a few friends. The Burrowing Owl, Digger, and Great Gray Owl, Twilight, (who are both hilarious throughout the film and voiced by David Wenham and Anthony LaPaglia) decide to join them on their quest to the great tree where the Guardians live. During training, Kludd is ordered by Nyra to bring his little sister Eglantine to her. After she refuses to live with them like her brother Soren, Kludd "moon blinks" her, making her a slave.
In a dangerous flight over the ocean through a raging storm, Soren and friends are saved by Barran, a Snowy Owl and Queen of the tree of Ga'Hoole. After finding that the Guardians are indeed not just a story, Soren and friends wish to join their society and be trained to fight.
It might be because this story was already written for him and all he had to do was transfer it onto screen, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I liked it even more than "Toy Story 3," which I thought would be the best animated feature of the year. But for me, "Legend of the Guardians" is the winner.
Based on the very popular children's books "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" by Kathryn Lasky, it is the story of a young Barn Owl, Soren, who grows up obsessed with the legends his father tells him of the great warrior owls, the Guardians.
He gets kidnapped with his older brother Kludd by a group of evil owls known as the Pure Ones, who are using young owls as slaves to gather special pieces of metal called flecks to create a trap for their enemies. During their capture, Nyra and Metalbeak, the leaders of the Pure Ones, poison Kludd against his brother and he is trained to be a warrior. During captivity, Soren meets a friend Gylfie, an Elf Owl, who learn to fly from Grimble, a member of the Pure Ones who wants to rebel against them. He teaches them to fly and dies helping them escape so they can warn the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole.
Along the way, they make a few friends. The Burrowing Owl, Digger, and Great Gray Owl, Twilight, (who are both hilarious throughout the film and voiced by David Wenham and Anthony LaPaglia) decide to join them on their quest to the great tree where the Guardians live. During training, Kludd is ordered by Nyra to bring his little sister Eglantine to her. After she refuses to live with them like her brother Soren, Kludd "moon blinks" her, making her a slave.
In a dangerous flight over the ocean through a raging storm, Soren and friends are saved by Barran, a Snowy Owl and Queen of the tree of Ga'Hoole. After finding that the Guardians are indeed not just a story, Soren and friends wish to join their society and be trained to fight.
After hearing Soren's tale, the King of the tree, Boron, decides to send a recon group to make sure Soren is telling the truth. Soren is taught by an old, crazed and scarred Ezylryb, he teaches them to really fly. Allomere, the owl sent by the King, betrays them, leading them into a trap after he brings home the bait, Soren's sister still "moon blinked."
During a training session, Soren finds out that Ezylryb is actually Lyze of Kiel, the legendary warrior Soren's father used to tell him about. He flies off to war with the rest of the Guardians, too soon to hear of Allomere's betrayal from Eglantine. Soren and friends fly off at once. Soren is able to destroy the device that Metalbeak and Nyra have been creating that targets an owl's gizzard, or their soul, and forces them to be immobile. Then the real fight begins. Lyze flies off to face Metalbeak once again as Soren faces off with his brother Kludd.
In an epic battle, Soren is able to defeat his brother and flies off to help Lyze against Metalbeak. Metalbeak rushes into his own death, and Nyra escapes with the few warriors she has left. Soren, Digger, Gulfie and Twilight are given helmets of their own, and made warriors. Rumor has it, that Kludd is still alive because his body was never found.
I smell a sequel. Considering these are a series of books, that doesn't really surprise me. This story has the perfect fantasy formula. Snyder didn't have to try very hard to make this an epic animated film. Considering it's a children's novel, the story transfers perfectly onto screen, like it was meant to be a film all along.
During a training session, Soren finds out that Ezylryb is actually Lyze of Kiel, the legendary warrior Soren's father used to tell him about. He flies off to war with the rest of the Guardians, too soon to hear of Allomere's betrayal from Eglantine. Soren and friends fly off at once. Soren is able to destroy the device that Metalbeak and Nyra have been creating that targets an owl's gizzard, or their soul, and forces them to be immobile. Then the real fight begins. Lyze flies off to face Metalbeak once again as Soren faces off with his brother Kludd.
In an epic battle, Soren is able to defeat his brother and flies off to help Lyze against Metalbeak. Metalbeak rushes into his own death, and Nyra escapes with the few warriors she has left. Soren, Digger, Gulfie and Twilight are given helmets of their own, and made warriors. Rumor has it, that Kludd is still alive because his body was never found.
I smell a sequel. Considering these are a series of books, that doesn't really surprise me. This story has the perfect fantasy formula. Snyder didn't have to try very hard to make this an epic animated film. Considering it's a children's novel, the story transfers perfectly onto screen, like it was meant to be a film all along.
I decided to see the movie in 3-D, knowing that it was actually made and filmed that way to begin with, and I was not disappointed. In most films, 3-D often takes away from the experience of a movie. However, in this case, like "Avatar," it enhanced the experience.
The sheer vastness that the 3-D was able to accomplish was astounding. I think they should leave 3-D only to the epic fantasies, like this film and "Avatar." The colors and graphics of the world that we see is awe inspiring and worthy of childhood dreams.
The sheer vastness that the 3-D was able to accomplish was astounding. I think they should leave 3-D only to the epic fantasies, like this film and "Avatar." The colors and graphics of the world that we see is awe inspiring and worthy of childhood dreams.
I'm not a kid, and I want to read these books. Soren is a dreamer, and pure of heart. He would do anything to keep his family safe. A young hero thrust into a world he barely understands. Reminds me a lot of Harry Potter. Anyone can see the appeal.
I have to give credit to Snyder. He did good on this one. It seems funny to say that he should stick with animated features, but if this is any proof of it, he really should. It's his finest, or perhaps, only fine film to speak of. I would instantly take a young nephew or niece to go see this movie again. I may even see it again by myself. I even had fun guessing who voiced all the characters. A voice cast with the likes of Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Jim Sturgess, Sam Neill, David Wenham, Geoffrey Rush, Anthony LaPaglia, Joel Edgerton, and more, who couldn't help but be awe inspired.
For any nerd, I know the name Zach Synder brings scoffs and maybe even a little pain, but for the sake of great storytelling and a great movie experience in 3-D, I would cut him some slack on this one. Especially if you know a kid that would love it. I know I loved owls when I was little.
I have to give credit to Snyder. He did good on this one. It seems funny to say that he should stick with animated features, but if this is any proof of it, he really should. It's his finest, or perhaps, only fine film to speak of. I would instantly take a young nephew or niece to go see this movie again. I may even see it again by myself. I even had fun guessing who voiced all the characters. A voice cast with the likes of Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Jim Sturgess, Sam Neill, David Wenham, Geoffrey Rush, Anthony LaPaglia, Joel Edgerton, and more, who couldn't help but be awe inspired.
For any nerd, I know the name Zach Synder brings scoffs and maybe even a little pain, but for the sake of great storytelling and a great movie experience in 3-D, I would cut him some slack on this one. Especially if you know a kid that would love it. I know I loved owls when I was little.
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