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[Ron voices the character of Professor Sam Tucker] Extracts from a review by Robert Koehler. Suggesting a fresh direction for science fiction moviemaking while adhering to commercially tried-and-true formulas, "Titan A.E." carefully -- sometimes too carefully -- balances a style keyed to older kids and teens with a notably serious fidelity to classical sci-fi storytelling. While recent sci-fi efforts have been seriously marred by, among other factors, an insultingly cartoonish approach to live-action characters and situations, "Titan A.E." neutralizes this problem by animating its space opera. Much of the artwork is unusually detailed and accomplished, to frequently powerful effect. Level of craft is in tandem with an unexpectedly strong story, drawing on traditions from sci-fi lit masters Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein and Roger Zelazny, while liberally borrowing bits younger auds will know, from the "Alien" series to the "Star Wars" saga. Result is a canny attraction for genre purists, hard-core ani-heads and the mass aud for galactic adventure. Meaning of "A.E." in the title soon becomes apparent in opening reel, as Earth in the year 3028 is being engulfed in an ominous sandstorm in advance of the invading race, the Drej. Young Cale (voiced by Alex D. Linz) is shepherded by his father (Ron Perlman) to an escape ship, forever separating father and son -- but not before Dad gives him a ring that obviously will be the key to the future. The boy flees from Earth while Dad commandeers Titan, an enormous, bulbous ship that has been his lifelong project, into deep space, just before the Drej detonate Earth (in the first of several spectacular effects sequences). Fifteen years later, After Earth, Cale at 20 (now voiced by Matt Damon) is a jaded blue-collar worker on a salvage station. Uneasily between teen awkwardness and adulthood, he's forever getting himself into trouble. Tough, intimidating Korso (Bill Pullman) rescues Cale from a fracas with nasty creatures, and involves him on "a dangerous mission to save the human race," which is seemingly headed toward extinction. Korso proves his authenticity by showing Cale how his ring works -- illuminating a genetically encoded map in Cale's hand that indicates the location of the well-hidden Titan ship. A wildly narrow escape from invading Drej warriors, whose blue coating encases what Korso explains is "pure energy," puts Cale on Korso's ship, the Valkerie. Story has thus far insisted on tossing in irritating comic relief in the form of the salvage station's motor-mouth cook (Jim Breuer), and the strategy continues on the new vessel with turtle-like Gune (John Leguizamo) as navigator; wily, worm-like second-in-command Preed (Nathan Lane) and super-cynical weapons freak Stith (Janeane Garofalo). Early comic stunts, though, are markedly toned down as the serious and complex plot takes over, and as Cale develops a testy relationship with pretty, gutsy Akima (Drew Barrymore).Disaster nearly wipes out the team on the new planet, Sesharrim -- a wonderfully surreal creation whose surface is liquid and is covered with egg-like hydrogen "trees" -- where friendly, bat-type allies and the Valkerie crew are pounced on by a Drej force, leading to the kind of chase that's possible only in animation. The capture of Cale and Akima, who is eventually released on a distant slave ship in a subplot out of John Huston, leads to a Drej attack on Titan itself. Some narrative turns become dubious at this point: Cale's escape from the Drej mother ship (looking suspiciously like Darth Vader's mask) is much tooo facile, and a pause in the action for Cale to take over the controls of the Valkerie to the sounds of sub-par rock 'n' roll (one of several mediocre tunes inserted) is pure pandering to the teen demo. Pic's supreme ani achievement is the Ice Rings of Tigrin, where Titan is protected by a dizzying web of enormous ice crystals, and where animation dramatically heightens the action with use of space and reflection. Climax on board Titan -- which houses the genetic material of all Earth flora and fauna, and thus, the building blocks of a new planet -- is relatively anticlimactic but effective. Seven minutes of closing credits reveal the complexity of the project. While the preceding action is remarkably plot heavy, the abundant plot turns whiz by in pic's relentless, audience-grabbing pace. Despite occasional awkwardness in character motion, viewers will be swept away by the luxuriant creation of alternate universes. In an unusual and worthy manner for an animated feature, widescreen format is employed and fully exploited throughout. Tech work is exemplary, and sometimes astonishing. Variety.com, Friday June 30, 2000 * * * *
Kirk Honeycutt of the Hollywood Reporter described Titan A.E. as a bubble-gum animation, a smartly packaged, brightly colored pop entertainment that plays like a 95-minute video game. With a rockin' soundtrack and more all-out action than any previous American animated feature, this sci-fi cartoon should rack up above-average grosses in the domestic market as well as overseas, where action in animation is more of a given. * * * * Eric Moro of Eon Magazine was obviously impressed with this film when he wrote - Get ready to sing and dance. Get ready to laugh and cry. Get ready to have a rip roaring good time with Disney's latest summer blockbuster... Wait a minute? This isn't a Disney movie. This is TITAN A.E., 20th Century Fox's latest trek into the world of feature length animation. But this is no ordinary cartoon. Forget ANASTASIA, the studios' last big Disney-esque film. Forget the films put out by the mouse studio -- movies meant to baby-sit cranky little toddlers. This sci-fi epic is truly adult fare, with inklings of the popular Japanese anime thrown in for good measure. Never before have the elements contributing to a film's success been so obvious as in the case of TITAN A.E. The feature can chalk its impending success up to strong scripting, cutting edge animation and a powerful contemporary soundtrack. No strangers to genre writing, John August, Ben Edlund and Joss Whedon use each of their individual strengths to form a brilliant collaboration. Equally as important is the film's unique look. Definitely not your usual Saturday morning cartoon fare, the animation used in TITAN A.E. has earned the newly created label of American style anime. Swift action and daring camera angles/sweeps create a look and feel never experienced before in traditional animation. The combination of two-dimensional cell artwork and three-dimensional computer imagery created a stunning science fiction landscape that felt neither detached nor devoid of human hands. Adding to the adult cartoon feel is TITAN A.E.'s soundtrack. Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Glen Ballard brings cutting-edge rock music to the project allowing for a more contemporary edge. At no time do any of the main characters break into song. Traditional animated film music - orchestral underscoring closely related to pop songs by specific artists - does not exist. Rather, original songs by bands like Lit, Powerman 5000 and Jamiroquai enhance the unique visual style. Exciting music placed alongside a unique set of visuals that audiences have never before experienced provide for a more mature viewing experience. Filling a void that has been left empty for far too long, TITAN A.E. enters the summer blockbuster arena as the first animated science fiction film produced by an American studio in decades. Its strong story, new look and energetic soundtrack provide wide appeal for the 14 to 35 year-old market - an audience ignored far too long by the traditional animation machine. Eonmagazine.com. June 16, 2000 * * * * |