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Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole


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Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Animal Logic/Village Roadshow Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures, 2010

Directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen)

Based on the children's book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky

Running Time: 90 minutes

Rated PG for violence and some scary elements.

Cast

Jim Sturgess (Jude in Across the Universe) as Soren the Barn Owl

Ryan Kwanten (Jason in True Blood) as Kludd the Barn Owl

Helen Mirren (Morgana in Excalibur) as Nyra the Barn Owl

Joel Edgerton (Owen Lars in Star Wars Episode II-III) as Metalbeak the Sooty Owl

Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean) as Ezylryb the Whiskered Screech Owl

Emily Barclay as Gylfie the Elf Owl

Anthony LaPaglia (Malone in Without a Trace) as Twilight the Great Grey Owl

David Wenham (Faramir in Lord of the Rings, Dilios in 300) as Digger the Burrowing Owl

Myriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout in Harry Potter) as Mrs. Plithiver the Black Mamba

Adrienne deFaria as Eglantine the Barn Owl

Sam Neill (Alan in Jurassic Park I & III, Dr. Weir in Event Horizon) as Allomere the Great Grey Owl

Hugo Weaving (like no one here knows who he is...) as Noctus the Barn Owl and Grimble the Boreal Owl

Richard Roxburgh (Dracula in Van Helsing, Hugh Stamp in Mission: Impossible II) as King Boron the Barn Owl

Debora-Lee Furness as Queen Barran the Barn Owl

Synopsis

One night, while attempting to fly in their forest, Soren and his brother Kludd are kidnapped and sent to a faraway kingdom ruled by the evil Metalbeak and Nyra. During their ordeal, Kludd becomes a soldier of the "Pure Ones", while Soren and a female owl named Gylfie become slaves assigned to gather magnetic metal flecks that weaken owls. Shortly thereafter, Soren and Gylfie escape from their captors on a perilous journey to the legendary kingdom of Ga'Hoole, where they must warn the Guardians of Metalbeak's evil plot to rule over all owls.

Story: B-

There really isn't much to expect on a children's storybook adapted into film. One thing I didn't expect was how rushed the storyline felt, given that the movie runs at 90 minutes. You don't really get to know most of the characters and some plot elements seem to be pretty vague. Perhaps a sequel would explain this whole universe further.

Animation: A++

Animal Logic, best known for Happy Feet, strikes gold with this film. The visuals are just downright stunning and the owls look very enigmatic. Zack Snyder, best known for his slow-motion camera work, uses his profound technique to further enhance all the eye candy. And the effect is best experienced in 3D, with all the feathers, beaks and talons in full detail.

Soundtrack: A

The orchestral score by David Hirschfelder really goes well with all of the film's action scenes. The theme song "To the Sky" by Owl City isn't bad, either.

The Bottom Line

Despite a lackluster story, you'll definitely give a hoot about watching this film in 3D.

Links

Official Site

Reference

The Internet Movie Database

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_lMihSKkgA

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Forgot to mention about the Looney Tunes opener "Fur of Flying". It's your typical Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon, only in 3D animation. And it's really just that: an opening act. Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons got lame after WB fired Chuck Jones over four decades ago; this is no different. For many reasons, it just doesn't feel right to have them computer animated. The colors of both characters are too bright and their movements seem to be forced. And the whole cliche of Coyote falling off a cliff and being crushed by boulders has been done to death; making it 3D doesn't make it any better.

WB should just leave our beloved Looney Tunes in 2D instead.

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