“Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga`Hoole” review
Recently released cartoon "Legend of the Guardians" can impress even the most skeptic viewer.
Owlet Soren and his brother were kidnapped by one owl clan, whose leader - an owl in the Iron Mask - is going to win the heavenly world. Soren managed to escape and he went to look for semi-mythical legendary owls clan - Guardians - to inform them about incoming danger.
Director of "Watchmen" and "300" Zack Snyder has filmed a stereo cartoon about owlet- warriors, which mixed the great battle with pure joy of flight and the birth of heroes.
Despite the excellent animation and delightful twists, "Guardians" seems a little bit unfinished. Visionary Snyder, who was accustomed to stud frame peas expanding blood in strips with rigid rating R, in creation of children's cartoon seemed taken aback - and crumpled few epics owl legends.
Previous film of director - "Watchmen" - already on the opening titers has been immersed in three-dimensional world of alternative history: perhaps it was in perfect picture and in the absence of words.
"Legends of the Guardians" begins with an empty, pretentious chatting, and until mid-may can't achieve the desired degree of legendary - although the book on which was filmed the cartoon, apparently was aimed to become a children's "Lord of the Rings" with its fairy-tale kingdom of owls, warring with each other.
Zack Snyder would not have been the main director of contemporary-visionary, if he didn't show us a scene in the sweet slo-mo, from which the shivers running through the skin. As with "300" and "Watchmen",
"Legends of the Guardians" - a feast for the eyes, even from the second third. In addition to episodes, set in traditional Snyder spirit (Spartans attack), the cartoon impresses with animation, beautiful owls and nature, the majestic backdrop where the action occurs. Owls plumage fluttering in the wind, and for this you can watch with emotion as they want. Movements of birds look so natural and organic, that you involuntarily ask yourself: how many years animators have watched on the owls, so to accurately convey their habits, and gestures on the screen?
The whole cartoon is like continuous visual nirvana.
Under a terrific soundtrack the owls collide in a battle and ride through the fire grate and metal ring claws and helmets, and the characters grow, even in small and clumsy-looking owls. And the enthusiasm is not only on a visual level - "Guardians" delight and wise plot finds, lucidly explaining to the children simple and important things. That war is hell, but not pretentious heroics - and if you have to fight, do not click beak. Appearance doesn't define greatness, only good deals can make from you a hero.
Separately, we should mention and 3D. Stereo effect in the "Legends of the Guardians" is surprisingly nondescript, and absolutely nothing makes an already visually splendid cartoon. All together it produces muddled impression of the new creation by Zack Snyder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_lMihSKkgA