Cheap Atlantis - The Lost Empire (DVD) (Michael J. Fox, Jim Varney) (Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale) Price

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Customer Reviews of Atlantis - The Lost Empire

Flawed, but entertainig flick from Disney.
It seems as though Disney always takes hits whenever it tries to do something daring and different. In 1985, they attempted their first PG-rated animated film, THE BLACK CAULDRON, a flawed but enjoyable fantasy tale, and it received mixed reviews and dismal box office receipts. Sixteen years later, they produced their second PG-rated animated film, ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE, and, even though it has its fans, also received mixed reviews and disappointing results at the box office. This is unfortunate, because, in spite of its occasional shortcomings, ATLANTIS is an enjoyable action-adventure flick from Disney.

True, there is at least one obnoxious-and useless-character in the movie (Moliere), the pace sometimes slows down, and the storyline is a little unclear at times, but look at what the film has that is good! The animation is amazing as always, with a lot of imaginatively designed backgrounds and mechanical marvels, fast-paced, hang-on-to-the-edge-of-your-seat action sequences (mainly the climax), decent vocal work, and a score by James Newton Howard which, although not as magnificent as that in DINOSAUR, is adventurous and suits the tone of the story well. In many ways, this is also another groundbreaking achievement for Disney, perhaps not artistically but genre-wise. It charts a new direction for its films, with no animal sidekicks (unless you count the cat), and no songs (except for the lame, useless pop number over the credits), and concentrates more on action and storytelling. I applaud the experiment, even if I wish the spotty parts could have been cleaned up a bit, and I hope to see Disney attempt another film like this again. (They do, in fact, with the upcoming release of TREASURE PLANET.)

The biggest controversy surrounding this film is that it is a rip-off of the Anime series, NADIA: THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER. I say, such arguments are ridiculous. Despite showing some similarities (scantily clad heroine with a pendant, underwater city, submarine battles), both NADIA and ATLANTIS are quite different altogether. ... In addition, the creators of ATLANTIS were inspired by the SOURCE MATERIAL - Jules Verne's classic novels, such as 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA - in the same way that NADIA was inspired by such literary classics. I doubt that this argument will ever subside, as we all know how anti-Disney some Anime fans as well as Disney haters can be.

Whether ATLANTIS will escape from the scathing criticisms surrounding it is a mystery, but, stripped of its flaws and ridiculous comparisons, the film is a rather underrated Disney achievement that deserved better, in my opinion.

As far as the Collector's Edition DVD is concerned, it is quite amazing. The quality of the video is presented superbly in its 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio, and an awesome sounding Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround soundtrack. I don't have a 5.1 system, and my DVD player hasn't the option to play the DTS 5.1 track, but I'm sure it is great nevertheless. I haven't checked out all the extras as of yet, but the case does list plenty, from deleted scenes to making-of documentaries (a high-selling point for DVDs, in my opinion), and the motion menus are spectacular. If only they would get rid of the trailers at the beginning of the first disc, it would have been perfect, but otherwise, this is yet another wonderful DVD from Disney. (Far better than its earlier "efforts", no doubt.)

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Simply an amazing experience
I have to admit that before I had seen this movie, my thoughts on it were rather conflicted. I discovered probably too much about the movie for it to surprise me with any of its plot twists and what-nots, so I felt as though I knew all of what the movie was composed of. I was definitely wrong there.

The basic idea of the movie involves a rather rejected college employee, Milo Thatch (played by the almost brilliant voice of Michael J. Fox). His attempts to make the elite of the university see his beliefs in the existence of the supposedly lost city of Atlantis lead to a chance meeting (seemingly chance) with a mysterious "messenger" named Helga Sinclair (Claudia Christian), Milo is introduced to the somewhat secluded life of his late grandfather's friend, Preston Whitmore (voiced by an eccentric John Mahoney). Whitmore offers Milo an adventure he can't refuse, an expedition to Atlantis.

Milo's crew on the Atlantis voyage include the rather devious Lyle T. Rourke (James Garner), the clever explosives expert Vincenzo Santorini (a hilarious Don Novello), Dr. Joshua Sweet (Phil Morris), the mechanic Audrey Ramirez (Jacqueline Obradors), the humorous geologist Gaetan Moliere (Corey Burton), the amusing chef "Cookie" (voiced by the late Jim Varney), and the adorable switchboard operator Bertha Packard (Florence Stanley). The crew expands the limitations of animation on their journey through amazing underwater battles, fiery volcanoes, and a simply amazing display of action and adventure.

What I admire most about Atlantis: The Lost Empire is the simple fact that it doesn't mar itself with embarrassing contemporary ideals or ridiculous characters (like the over-hyped Shrek). It maintains a good level of ingenuity in its own amazing way and, although I believe it is more intended for the older child (9-12), it offers a good blend of appeal for those of all ages. I highly recommend this film for any family (and, heck, even for adults) looking for a good time. The performances are amazing and so is the animation. This summer definitely belongs to Disney.

"Atlantis is waiting..." -Preston B. Whitmore

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A New Age Adventure
Atlantis: The Lost Empire has the most mesmerizing, clear, crisp, animation since Fantasia. The music is also exceptional - I am going to purchase the soundtrack. The story is inventive and original, capitalizing on the intriguing mystery of the lost city of Atlantis.

Michael J. Fox is wonderful as Milo, the unrecognized and unappreciated geek archaelogist who spends his time researching Atlantis and fixing the New York Museum of Natural History's cantankerous boiler in the basement. His life takes a turn when a beautiful woman (voiced by the woman who did the Fairy Godmother's voice in Shrek 2) takes him to a reclusive millionaire who is willing to fund an expedition to search for the legendary city.

Other great voice talent brings the characters to life: Cree Summer as the beautiful Princess Kida, Leonard Nimoy as the King of Atlantis, the late Jim Varney as Cookie, and James Garner as the military leader of the expedition. The movie's creators brought in a linguist who had worked on the Star Trek movies to create an Atlantean language.

The very last scene made me cry. Grab your crystal and some popcorn. The movie is at once dreamy and inspirational, and highly recommended.