Movie review: Epic

The new animated adventure Epic is, above all else, a children's picture.

epic

MOVIE REVIEW: The new animated adventure Epic is, above all else, a children's picture.

While its new-release rivals, Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University, employ comedy to engage with viewers of all ages, Epic is a straightforward, kids-only affair.

Nothing wrong with that approach at all. In fact, some may argue there should be more of it.

Nevertheless, adults ferrying younger viewers towards Epic in the coming holiday period should be forewarned: there is not much here for you.

For children south of high-school age, however, this lavish, beautifully-designed adaptation of the William Joyce book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs, could well be a highlight of their viewing year.

Story-wise, Epic wanders about as it pleases, alternating between our world and the magical microscopic kingdom of Moonhaven.

The stuff happening up here is not nearly as engaging as what is going on down there, I can assure you.

So let's brush aside the bits of Epic where a teenage girl (Amanda Seyfried) is having trouble re-bonding with her long-lost dad, a loopy mad-professor type (Jason Sudeikis). We have all seen this subplot countless times before.

However, Moonhaven is quite a unique setting and one that most viewers will not tire of gazing away at.

Located in the undergrowth of a dense forest, it is a literal wonderland of nature.

The animation team working on Epic have done an amazing job bringing this beguiling fantasy environment to life.

As we get our bearings within Moonhaven - habited by all kinds of creatures and beings - it's clear unrest is in the air.

Forces aligned with growth and decay - the goodies and the baddies of this eco-conscious tale - are gearing up for battle after the sudden death of their queen (a graceful voice cameo from Beyonce Knowles).

The unabashed earnestness afoot in Epic is at once a plus and a minus.

The film conspicuously avoids breaking into a hyper-edited scramble at a moment's notice (a panicking flaw in the cartoons of today).

However, certain members of a very impressive voice cast (including the in-form duo of Christoph Waltz and Chris O'Dowd) are left with precious little to do.

> Epic [PG]
Rating: 3/5
Director: Chris Wedge (Ice Age)
Starring: The voices of Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Beyonce Knowles, Jason Sudeikis, Chris O'Dowd

"An ecology of scale"