Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

What a visually striking film this is. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole is not only one of the most beautiful animated films I've ever seen, it's also one of the most beautiful films period. The film's cast, made up almost entirely out of owls (there's a few snakes, bats, and other animals in there, too) are intricately detailed, and animated to such a degree that I often found myself staring at the screen in disbelief. There's also some absolutely stunning scenery, such as the owl kingdom of the Guardians, that I would like to see more of if the sequel the ending hints at ever gets made.

So, what's the plot behind these visuals? Well, here the movie is on less certain ground. There's not a single element of it that fans of fantasy or sci-fi haven't seen before, and the characters all have pretentious-sounding names like Ezylryb, Otulissa, and Allomere. There were also elements of the plot and characters that left me confused, and I'm sure the series of books by Kathryn Lasky that inspired the film do a better job explaining it than director Zack Snyder (Watchmen) does. That being said, I'm still recommending the film. It's entertaining, and kept my interest, even when I felt in the dark a little as to what was going on. If the script had matched the visuals, we'd be looking at one of the best films of the year. As it is, kids will be enthralled, and it stands out enough to grab the attention of accompanying adults. Besides, after the somewhat generic Alpha and Omega last weekend, anything that manages to try something different is an improvement.

The story opens with two young owl brothers, Soren (voice by Jim Sturgess) and Kludd (Ryan Kwanten). Soren is the youthful dreamer, enthralled by his father's stories of the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole, noble owl knights who saved their tree kingdom of Tyto years ago from a villain named Metalbeak (Joel Edgerton). Kludd is the more cynical of the two, and doubts that the Guardians even exist. The two fall out of their parent's tree, and are quickly snatched away by a pair of mean owls who speak with Cockney accents, and basically act like feathered gangster rejects from a Guy Ritchie movie. The brothers are taken to a place where the beautiful but twisted Nyra (Helen Mirren) is helping Metalbeak build a fascist army called "Pure Ones". Those that they deem strong and worthy become soldiers in their army, while those considered weak are brainwashed and forced to pick through owl pellets for a strange blue substance that can be used to build a massive weapon to conquer the forest kingdoms.

Soren is sentenced to be a lowly worker, while Kludd becomes a soldier, and quickly betrays everyone he knows and loves, swearing allegiance to the villains. Too quickly, for my taste, as his change of heart is never really explored. He seems like a decent and sensible guy at the beginning, then he's suddenly plotting to kidnap his baby sister Eglantine (Adrienne DeFaria) and subject her to the brainwashing method. Soren, however, finds that he is immune to the brainwashing, and escapes with the help of some friends that he meets down in the digging pits. Once he's free, he sets out to find the legendary kingdom where the Guardians reside, and inform them of Metalbeak's plan. Soren meets a pair of comic relief characters named Twilight (Anthony LaPaglia) and Digger (David Wenham), and eventually reaches the Guardians' home, where he becomes the student of the wise old Ezylryb (Geoffrey Rush), one of the heroes of legend.

Legend of the Guardians is such a beautiful film, I often found myself wishing that the story would slow down long enough to admire it. The plot speeds along, introducing elements and characters, sometimes with little to no explanation as to how they fit into it all. I was able to figure most of it out on my own, but I still feel that those who have read the books (this film supposedly takes elements from the first three) will have a better idea than audience members who walk in cold. The story itself is certainly nothing new. It's a standard good vs. evil story where a young dreamer gets to become the hero he always wanted to be. The movie even comes equipped with its own catchphrase, like "Use the Force" in Star Wars, when Ezylryb tells Soren constantly to "Trust your gizzard". Somehow, I don't see that line catching on the same way Obi-Wan's words of wisdom did.

Despite this, I was entertained. I was interested in the characters and the world they inhabit, and wanted to know more about them. Writers John Orloff (TV's Band of Brothers) and Emil Stern never go as deep into these aspects as I would have liked, but I'm sure sequels could easily correct that. I can also easily picture kids not familiar with the books wanting to seek them out after the film is over, which is never a bad thing. A lot of work and effort clearly went into the making of this film, and I admired a lot of it. I just hope that if there is a next time, they pay more attention to the characters, and take their time to allow us to truly explore the world that they inhabit.

One final note: Legend of the Guardians is being shown in 3D and 2D. I had a choice at my local theater, and decided that the visuals that the trailer promised deserved to be seen in traditional 2D without the dark glasses muddying the images. I truly hope that other people will make this choice, and get to see just how colorful and full of life this film's visual style is. That being said, I have heard good things about the 3D effects implemented. If I get a chance to view it in 3D, I will update my review and offer my thoughts.

See the movie times in your area or buy the DVD at Amazon.com!

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