Honestly, when I first saw the trailer for epic I was mostly drawn in by the particular
music that was chosen rather than by an interest in the movie, because what I was looking at apart from the music was a younger sibling to FernGully: The Last Rainforest. This got me thinking though that any movie that will come out today and forevermore which regards any brand of environmentalism will ultimately come back to FernGully. With that said, it got me thinking about how animated movies are on some kind of a hot streak, and that epic might just be the next to follow in those footsteps. For starters, the theater was packed with kids. Check.
epic follows the all too familiar formula of a troubled individual, Mary Katherine or M.K. (Amanda Seyfried) who happens to stumble upon a delicate situation where ultimately it will be up to her to save it from total annihilation, which in this case also means saving us. The weight of the two worlds truly is on her shoulders, yet the solution for defeating the evil which seeks to harm is quite simple actually: all it takes is a little confidence, some bravery, and a touch of naivety. Furthermore, it’s gonna also require some teamwork, which immediately means at least one person isn’t a team player, but like the brooding antagonist who arrives with a little bit of time to spare so as to help out, he will come. People call these rag-tag teams, and it’s them against the bad guys. It’s good vs. evil folks.
That’s what the movie is, a battle between good and evil, which in turn has been going on
for some time. Something worth noting here though is that in the category of animation, anything becomes possible, including entire worlds hidden from our sight. That being said, the movie makes the battle of good and evil specific to that world, and dismisses humans being the enemy. Actually it was rather funny how the movie portrays humans. They call them stompers, and see them as nothing more than a mild annoyance. I have to admit that was refreshing. This of course might make the concept of a new human being really the savior to that world as something of a deterrent, but one thing this movie emphasizes is fellowship and teamwork, which though may be recycled really never loses its potency.
Back to animation, many of the characters themselves are very humorous, though this
didn’t mesh entirely well with how adult some of the elder characters were portrayed. What I mean is that these elder characters were actually given some weight as to what they represent in this particular world, and that in turn the other characters who pop up in order to catch the attention of the kids watching kind of lessened their impact. Consistency is a major priority not just in a single character, but in the cast as a whole, and when the cast falls slightly short by this, it might dampen what so many animated movies now are trying to accomplish: entertaining both the kids and the adults.
Let it be said thought that this movie did accomplish that feat, but one thing I read prior to
seeing it was that there may have been a bit too much the adult side of the equation, as some of the battle scenes, particularly that of the climax might have been presented as too intense for children. Putting myself in their shoes I would have to say this could be defended, and what I would add is that this in itself might have to do with some of the voice actors. Christoph Waltz voices the villain, and given his resume he deserves credit for how evil and slimy he sounds in his desire to destroy the world. Of course this pleased me, but back to perspective again, no matter how much an animated movie appeals to both audiences, kids still come first. Of course I don’t think kids will ever be as forgotten as they were with The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
With kids coming first and adults second, this is why it pleased me as it did that so many of 
them occupied the theater. That’s the way it should be with this type of movie. Animated movies really have been getting better, and not just technically speaking, although that is an enormous aspect now. epic was stunning visually speaking, and proof of how quickly and efficiently animation is progressing. What I believe one might be so inclined to comment on however, is that it’s simple to allow the visuals to overtake the audience while the story suffers. I’m not saying this was the case here, however what the case is, is that in fact the movie is not at all original.
Of course it’s difficult, and what to do in this difficult situation is focus on the execution as opposed to the story itself. This movie came across as slightly confusing to some, but the bottom line is that the themes were present and they were conveyed in a way that has been seen before. One last look at perspective though… I lost track of the excitement I heard from all the kids, and in this instance, they come first.
Flicks With Maddog 