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Owl's Well that Ends Well

Owls may just be the coolest birds on the planet.  Not only are they nocturnal, which adds to their mystery and allure, but they're graceful, silent hunters, with distinctive, spooky calls.  Their heads even rotate 3/4 of the way around allowing them to see what's directly behind them without turning their bodies.  It's no wonder that kids (or at least, my kids) find them fascinating.  And it's also no wonder they've become the stars of a series of young adult books by Kathryn Lasky, now made into a major motion picture which opens this week.

"Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" is directed by Zack Snyder ("300", "Watchmen"), and brought to the screen by Animal Logic, the same studio that brought us that other animated bird movie, "Happy Feet".  But this new outing is a bit darker and more epic than that tale of the dancing penguin.  "Legend" is set in a world where there are no people (or at least, no people that we can see).  The top of the food chain in this land is the owl, and the top dogs of the owl race are the Tytos (which includes barn owls).  A young barn owlet named Soren, his head filled with heroic tales by his father, prepares for his first flight lesson.  It turns out he's a natural, much to the dismay of his already envious older brother, Kludd.  Kludd's jealousy and recklessness lead to disaster, with the two brothers rescued in the nick of time from almost certain death, but kidnapped by the evil "Pure Ones," an owl sect that believes the natural order of things is for the strong to subjugate the weak.

The Pure Ones are stealing owlets of all species and bringing them to an "orphanage" where they brainwash the young ones to serve their nefarious purposes.  Soren, with the help of some unlikely allies, manages to escape and sets off to find the legendary "Guardians" - the only ones with any hope of wresting power away from the Pure Ones.  Can this young idealistic barn owl learn to believe in himself and his companions?  Will they rise to the occasion, find the guardians and vanquish evil?  The film comes to a head with a climactic battle that pits good against evil, the downtrodden against the privileged, even brother against brother. It's an exciting quest, with memorable characters, excellent voice acting and some truly exceptional 3D animation.

What I found most remarkable in the animation was the expressiveness of the eyes and facial expressions of the various characters.  Eyes are notoriously difficult to capture in animation, and this film nails it, whether the eyes are wide with excitement, glazed over in the "moon blinked," teary with emotion or glowing orange with the reflection of firelight.  As owls are nocturnal, a fair amount of the film takes place at night or in twilight, but there is no shortage of detail or vivid color.  The play of light and shadow is also impressive, with subtle shifts in lighting on the owls themselves or on the scenic forest and sea backdrops, as clouds pass in front of the sun or inclement weather descends upon the hapless troupe.  The 3D effect is used to its full advantage here to provide greater depth and immersion throughout.  There are a few stand-out scenes, such as Soren's flight into a violent funnel cloud, with rain drops blowing all around the audience.  We feel as if we too have entered the eye of the storm.

The voice talent here also impresses with such fine actors as Helen Mirren, Geoffrey Rush, Hugo Weaving, Anthony LaPaglia and Sam Neill.  The lead owlet, Soren is voiced by relative newcomer Jim Sturgess ("Across the Universe"), and he carries the role well, though at times he seems to be channeling Elijah Wood (specifically Elijah Wood as Frodo in "The Lord of the Rings").  But perhaps this comparison is appropriate as Soren's quest and journey toward self awareness and self confidence in the face of adversity echoes Frodo's in many ways.  Geoffrey's Rush's character Ezylryb is one of the more memorable in the film: a mad scribe who may be much more than he appears.  Other characters also make strong impressions: Gylfie (Emily Barclay), the shy but outspoken little elf owl whose defiance lands herself and Soren in hot water; Nyra (Helen Mirren), the wicked queen who recruits Tyto owls as soldiers for the Pure Ones' cause, Digger (David Wenham), a twitchy and sensitive burrowing owl with a talent for one-liners and Digger's companion, Twilight (Anthony LaPaglia), a warrior bard who is far better at wielding his lyre as a weapon than as an actual melodic instrument.

Although the story is a bit dark for the little ones, its message and ideals are laudable, and its exciting, compelling storyline and stunning 3D effects are sure to draw in both children and adults alike.  My six year old son accompanied me to the screening and gave it "100 thumbs up" so I'll take that as a vote of confidence.  Just when you thought Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks had a lock on quality animated films, Animal Logic comes along and proves otherwise.  This is one is definitely worth a peek.