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    Epic

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    For the kids, “Epic” is an average animated film but for adults, there’s nothing here you haven’t seen before. The plot follows Mary-Kate (or M. K., voiced by Amanda Seyfried) a rebellious teenager that is forced to move in with her eccentric father Professor Bomba. He has been dedicating his life to the search for the Leafmen, a race of tiny humanoids that live in the forest and foresee to its growth. They are opposed to the Boggans, a race of equally tiny creatures responsible for the decay of the forest. When the story begins the time has come for Queen Tara, leader of the Leafmen to choose an heir. Before she can finish the ritual that will imbue her magical powers to a chosen citizen of the forest she is attacked by the Boggans and their leader Mandrake (Christoph Waltz) M. K. happens to be in the area as this attack happens and she is given the sacred pod that contains the powers of the forest and also shrunken down to miniature size. Now along with her newfound friends Mub and Grub (a slug and a snail, caretakers of the pod), Ronin (a seasoned leafman warrior voiced by Colin Farrell) and the love interest Nod (Josh Hutcherson) she’ll have to find a way to stop Mandrake’s evil plan and get herself back to normal size.

    When I say that there’s a lot here that you’ve seen before, I mean practically everything in the film is reminiscent of something else. The leafmen and the Boggans resemble the orcs and elves from “Lord of the Rings”, the different factions and the main bad guy are very similar to the creatures in “Fern Gully” and the father-daughter relationship has been seen in countless family films. It’s not that the movie is bad really, it’s just that for adults, it’s too obvious. The villains are, of course, dark, gray and creepy-looking and the heroes are beautiful, humanoid, kind and aligned with the growth portion of the forest. Although Mandrake does develop a bit more character towards the second half of the film, mostly he’s just evil because the movie needs an antagonist. M. K. happens to meet the rebellious, single Nod and the two will bond over the course of the story with the eventual romance towards the end. The film plays it very safe and is often predictable because of this. The story does take chances once in a while and that’s when it becomes more interesting. There are actually quite a few deaths throughout the story so there is some tension as the characters try to outrun the legions of bat-mounted Boggans. There are some cool scenes of aerial combat and some inspired sequences where the tiny critters have to dodge much larger animals. Towards the climax of the film is where the movie gets particularly exciting so the setup of all the characters does pay off. On a technical level, the animation is very well done and the voice acting is decent too. The way that the leafmen use plants as armor and the way the Boggans decorate themselves with bones is a lot of fun to see.

    As far as family entertainment goes, it’s just fine. Children will be amused by the comic-relief characters of Mub and Grub and the colorful creatures seen throughout. There are exciting sequences and a decent amount of thrills without being the kind of film that will frighten little children. This is not going to be an animated classic but there’s something to be enjoyed from a family-friendly animated adventure that features no lame pop-culture jokes, no product placement and isn’t looking for a share of that nostalgia cash. It earns itself a mild recommendation but that just means its more of a solid rental than it is a movie you want to buy and re-watch over and over. I’m not sure “Epic” was a really fitting title for the film but as an adult you won’t be annoyed at the developments even when they are predictable and it’s a fine way to spend some time with the kids. You’ll have fun with it without being blown away. (Theatrical version on the big screen, August 23, 2013)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  22.5.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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