Amazon.co.uk Review
The Disney Studio was built on innovation in animation, so it seems ironic that
Atlantis is both a bold departure and highly derivative, borrowing heavily from anime, video games and graphic novels. Instead of songs and fuzzy little animals, the artists offer an action-adventure set in 1914: nerdy linguist Milo Thatch (Michael J Fox) believes he's found the location of the legendary Lost Continent. An eccentric zillionaire sends Milo out to test his hypothesis with an anachronistic crew that includes tough Puerto Rican mechanic Audrey (Jacqueline Obradors), demolition expert Vinnie (Don Novello), and butt-kicking blonde adventurer Helga (Claudia Christian). When they find Atlantis, its culture is dying because the people can no longer read the runes that explain their mysterious power source--but Milo can. Nasty Commander Rourke (James Garner) attempts to steal that power source, leading to the requisite all-out battle.
Atlantis offers some nifty battle scenes, including an attack on a Jules Verne-esque submarine by a giant robotic trilobites and fishlike flying cars. But the film suffers from major story problems. If Princess Kida (Cree Summer) remembers her civilisation at its height, why can't she read the runes? Why doesn't Milo's crew notice that the Atlanteans live for centuries? The angular designs are based on the work of comic book artist Mike Mignola (
Hellboy), and the artists struggle with the characters' stubby hands, skinny limbs and pointed jaws. The result is a film that will appeal more to 10-year-old boys than to family audiences. --
Charles Solomon, Amazon.com
DVD Description
DVD Special Features:
Disc One:
The Film
Visual Commentary-Behind the scenes of Atlantis with the Producer and Directors
DisneyPedia-Atlantis: Fact or Fiction Interactive Game (BR> Disc Two:
Multiple Platform Navigation /system (3 Viewing Options)
Deleted Scenes and Abandoned Sequences
"The Journey Begins" Making Of Featurette
Virtual Tours of Computer Generated Models
"Creating Mythology" Historical Feature
Story and Editorial
Character Creation and Art Direction
How to speak Atlantean
Music and Sound Design
Publicity
Insight into Digital Production.
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