I didn't enjoy this film, but let's start with what was done well. Giant scorpions with seven-story tail stingers stab and grab at terrified warriors. This scene builds nicely and compels from beginning to end. Filmmakers and animators realize these creatures skillfully on the big screen and the live-action humans are integrated aptly into the fight. It's believable and thrilling. To a lesser extent, but still fun, the monstrous Kraken at the film's climax gives viewers a powerful, cinematic, visual experience. The pegasis has moments of elegance. Oh, and sadly alone in a script devoid of any interesting dialogue, a father says to his adopted son this sweet line, "The love we have for you is the kind of love the gods fight over."

Unfortunately, the highlights are few, and the shortcomings many. High quality actors have little or no interesting dialogue with which to work. For the most part, what they say has no emotional content, it's merely expository, one step above stage direction. We feel none of their pain or happiness and only a hint at their bonding or lack there of. It's an empty action film, and unfortunately, the action isn't impressive enough to overcome that barrenness. While the scorpions and Kraken work for the most part, other, mostly live action, creatures don't. The witches, the blue-heart guys, they're obviously people in costumes with a 1970's StarWarsy feel. We don't buy them. Plot serves no other purpose than an excuse for action. It's a skeleton with a Hollywood cloak. Whereas the potential for a meaty relevant theme exists, the script virtually ignores it. Lastly, I found that the 3D added little.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --