Rating: 
Summary: Adam does Atlantis
Review: "Atlantis" is an unusual example in the field of animation. The production crew are European, which provides the film with a look very unlike mainstream American animated films or anime. The film has a strong steampunk style, advanced in a blur of fascinating could-have-been-but-never-were machines and ideas, supported by well-researched costuming. The characters are distinct and believable. The story contains the usual action, romance and heroic themes, together with the environmentalism vs. mercenary capitalism conflict that is common in contemporary children's films. This film entranced me with its unusual style. I was put off at first by the stylised way the characters are depicted, but the costumes, the cool tech, the pseudo-historical plot threads, and the funky characters soon had me grinning like a loon. Like the best contemporary kid's films, there are elements in 'Atlantis' that will appeal to adults while the kids are still caught up in the wonder of it all. I found this film stood up to several viewings, so I could see more details. One of the very best animated films of the last few years.
Rating:
Summary: Atlantis
Review: "Atlantis" is one of Disney's most underated films ever made. The story is about a young linquist, Milo Thatch, who tries to sell his theories about the lost city of Atlantis to a local museum, but he's shot down and laughed at. When all seemed hopeless, an offer from an eccentric billionaire giving him an opportunity of a life time. Milo along with eight other brave comrades explore the ocean deep to find the lost city. Upon their arrival, they soon discover an advanced acient race of Atlantians that are in desparate need of help. This film does however fall into some typical Disney movie cliches like the love story, for example, isn't that original, and the characters aren't as memorable as previous Disney characters. However, I was intriqued though that this is Disney first original film that wasn't based on a fairy tale or told like one, so that made it a lot different than one might expect. I thought the special effect for this movie were simply excellent because Disney does such a great job blending the computer animation with the traditional animated figures, so it's quite impressive. Overall, I think most folks may find this film quite different from other Disney animated films, but if you give this one a chance then you won't be disappointed. A great film for the entire family.Also, if you buy the DVD version..you get more picture out of the widescreen version. It was filmed in 2.35:1. The fullscreen (1.33:1) version cuts off about 50% of the film.
Rating:
Summary: PRESERVING & CELEBRATING THE BEST ANIMATED FEATURE OF 2001
Review: "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" simply is unlike any Disney feature film ever made, and the best evidence in support of this is on the 2-Disc Collector's Edition released January 29th. Marrying the magic of great comic books/graphic novels with the action adventure epic, "Atlantis" succeeds in being a triumph not only of visual creativity, but also of superior story telling as only animation can deliver. Actually, as only Disney animation can deliver. The supplemental disc has every bell and whistle a disc-o-file could want, and then some. That it's delivered cleverly and with great style makes it all the better a bargain at any price. Without giving away the show (and it is quite a show) suffice it to whet your appetite that the supplemental disc -- containing deleted scenes, countless visual development galleries, and both pencil and digital animation tests -- sets the stage by starting off with a "one reel" Industrial Film from Whitmore Industries. This is the sort of stuff that makes Disney DISNEY. The "plussing" -- which I'll let the film's producer, Don Hahn, explain as you browse through the 2 plus hours (!) of Disc 2. Much of the credit for this feast has to go to the supplemental disc's Writer, Producer & Director Michael Pellerin and to Disc Executive Producer Jeff Kurtti who have done a magnificent job of organizing the material and presenting it to the viewer. As for the first disc containing the film itself there's much to be enjoyed here, as well. The audio commentary is "plussed" (there's that word again!) with an added visual commentary option that interrupts the film with various "making of" insights best explained visually, all without missing any portion of the film. Wonderful! Trousedale, Wise and Hahn keep things moving and never bore the viewer. Nor are they boorish and self-serving as far too many DVD filmmaker commentaries are these days. The film itself is simply a treasure. The story delivers mysterious strangers, dark mansions, and machinated marvels that play like a previously unpublished Jules Verne adventure discovered at long last. Without overwhelming us the film manages to move us along while pausing for well paced breaths, delivering surprises that are earned, and making us long to visit this magical, mysterious world. Such magical mystery is what animation is for, after all; to realize places and people that traditional live action can't realize. The flat look of the comic book styling is thanks mostly to comic book artist Mike Mignola. And Art Director Dave Goetz's saturated colors and bold designs is not only refreshing, it also proves that hyperrealism isn't the be all and end all of animation! There are no weak characters or "if only they hadn't" moments here. Standout performances worth mentioning (Remembering this is team acting by both the voice artists and animators) include the hero, Milo Thatch, voiced by Michael J. Fox is animator John Pomeroy 's finest work to date. It's no small feat, as the character inhabits nearly 80% of the film's 95 minutes. Equally memorable is a supporting cast of magnificent misfits, with Don Novello voicing Vinnie the demolition expert as hysterically rendered by Russ Edmonds and his team, and the dry and delicious Mrs. Packard voiced by Florence Stanley and animated by Dave Pruiksma (a sad and confusing note: the disc's supplemental material all but ignores Pruiksma's contribution. He is the only animator left out of Kurtti and Pellerin's "special thanks" - which seems pettier than the artist's petulant and rather obstreperous public departure from the studio earlier last year. It's a shame, and one can only hope that time and some distance will give everyone involved some perspective, both on the legacy of a fine animator who breathed life into such wonderful characters as Chip and Flit, as well as a better understanding of the need for all things to grow and change -- even Disney Feature Animation. "Atlantis would have been a poorer film without Pruiksma's Packard, and Pruiksma was always at his best under Trousdale & Wise's direction. It's a shame.) Princess Kida voiced by Cree Summer and animated with grace and exuberance by Randy Haycock and his staff is a true jewel. Kida is the most appealing Disney heroine since Ariel, and Haycock - who was responsible for both the infant and adolescent Hercules in the film of the same name - comes of age as a film artist and animation actor with this performance. Mole provides endless delight thanks to the voice of Corey Burton and some wonderful animators, with Tony DeRosa leading the dig! Special nods to animators Ron Husband, Anne Marie Bardwell, Yoshi Tamura and Mike Surrey for giving life to the performances of Phil Morris's Dr. Sweet, Jacqueline Obradors's Audrey, Claudia Christian's Helga and James Garner's Rourke. And the late Jim Varney left behind a jewel of a swan song that animator Shawn Keller polished to comic perfection as Cookie.
These are moving drawings - in every sense. But it's also a miraculous marriage of the best of animation technology taking animated film making to new heights. There's much more than a strong graphic appeal to this film, however. Disney proves that a great story and fully realized characters that can think, and act, (and do more than tell jokes) can keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Parents shouldn't shy from the PG rating. The violence is no more alarming than any Saturday morning fare. There's a very well crafted (and not the least bit preachy) message that greed is not a reason to plunder the majesty of an untouched world. ATLANTIS: The Lost Empire gets better and better with each screening. The Special Edition simply extends "better" into the realm of "best", underscoring how it deserves a chance to take home the Oscar that says so.
Rating: 
Summary: Atlantis -- Popkorn Junkie's (and my) review
Review: "Atlantis: The Lost Empire", is a good adventure story that takes place in the early 1900's and revolves around a bumbling, under appreciated, dorky, linguist named Milo (voiced by Michael J. Fox). When Milo was younger, his grandfather (a great explorer) told him tales about Atlantis and ever since, Milo has always dreamed of finding the lost city. But instead of being an explorer like his grandfather, Milo is stuck doing janitorial work in the basement of a museum. Milo tries to convince the board of directors at the museum to fund an expedition but they won't hear of it-- Atlantis is just a silly myth. After being turned down by the museum board members, Milo is propositioned by a mysterious blonde ala a classic private detective movie. The woman wants Milo to meet with her employer, Mr. Whitmore (John Mahoney), who turns out to be very interested in Atlantis. Whitmore (an adventurer too) was best friends with Milo's late grandfather and was entrusted with a gift for Milo from his grandfather. This is not any old gift though, it's the Shepard's Journal...a book written in Atlantian that tells how to get to the lost city. Whitmore, as a favor to Milo's grandfather, fully funds an expedition to Atlantis and Milo joins the crew as their linguist because he happens to be the only one that can translate Atlanian. Thus begins the great adventure.... It's really difficult for me to decide how I feel about this movie (I'm still not quite sure). The story was great...even the kids in the theater seemed engrossed as I didn't hear a peep out of any of them (a rare occurrence). But, this being a Disney movie, I usually expect the animation to be pretty decent. The animation for "Atlantis" was definitely sub par. Most of the backgrounds just seemed dull and washed out....like when watercolors blend together to produce a brownish grayish blah color. It was very boring to look at. Even when the story was set in Atlantis I wasn't blown away...it was supposed to be a spectacular, dazzling city but I wasn't impressed. One more animation complaint: fingernails. I don't know why, but instead of drawing normal looking fingernails on the characters the animators decided just to make them little triangles. This would have made sense if there was a triangular theme throughout the rest of the animation but, apart from the letter "A" in Atlantian looking like an upside-down triangle, there was no consistent geometric theme (that I saw at least). I was also bothered by the fact that the multicultural crew chosen for the expedition was stereotypical. Maybe stereotypical isn't the right word, but they were definitely cultural caricatures. I think the most offensive was Gaetan "Mole" Moliere's character...the dirty (literally and metaphorically) Frenchman that nobody really liked. I can't imagine what our French brethren must think of how their cultural representative was portrayed! Maybe I'm being too extreme, maybe the characters are not representative of anyone....but I just think Disney should be a little more careful when they play the multicultural card. Despite my whining about the animation and my problems with the cultural stereotypes, I really enjoyed this film-- it was a great adventure story. Unlike most Disney movies, the characters in "Atlantis" weren't very funny (except for Don Novello's cartoon counterpart, "Vinny" Santorini) and the cast didn't randomly break unto song (which can be a good thing). I think that if this had been a live action film instead of a cartoon I would have liked it a lot more. I think in this case, the animation really brought the movie down-- it just wasn't good! Unlike "Shrek" with it's eye-popping computer animation, "Atantis", it seems, opted to pay for a good script while cutting corners in the animation department. Recommendation: "Atlantis" is a PG movie that you really can feel safe watching with your children. There are a few fight scenes that are a little scary but it's no more violent than previous Disney movies. Overall, I enjoyed the film and I think most non-critical (non-whining) people will too. If you see the movie don't expect anything like "The Little Mermaid", this movie is a bit more mature and definitely more drab and realistic (no dance routines or corny songs).
Rating:
Summary: Disney's most mature work to date.
Review: "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" (2001) To be straight with you, I had known nothing of the Atlantis legend before I saw Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire, so I didn't know if this was really going to interest me. Surprisingly, I actually learnt a lot about the legend after coming out of this movie. I like a movie where I come out of the cinema knowing something I hadn't known before, and that is what Atlantis: The Lost Empire was like. I really loved this film as a result, and I think it's one of Disney's best works in ages. I was very surprised when I heard this movie was called only average by most critics. When I was watching this movie I was enthralled by the story and style. The way the movie pulled me deep into the story was not forced and cheesy, I was shocked at how naturally the movie moved along. It didn't need any songs or corny-as-hell lines to get Atlantis: The Lost Empire on a roll. Most of the critics these days are adults too, and I for one thought this certainly wasn't as much of a kid's movie as it was an adult's. This is more mature than The Land Before Time and Dinosaur, and more watchable and stunning than any amount of Pokemon's. Kids will still love it, but I think adults may appreciate the whole concept more than children. So I didn't see anything to dislike with the film, but I did see a lot to like and appreciate. I liked the way the characters were developed too. Milo Thatch is developed very early into the movie but there is one scene where the team has made their way to Atlantis and are camping and they tell each other about their history. I learnt about the rest of these animated treasures' past and personality quicker than you can snap your fingers, and I didn't forget about them either. I would've liked to know more about the funny dirt-loving Mole though. One of the characters mentions that Milo "wouldn't want to know" about Mole's past, but I expected the characters' history to come back and hit me in the face as a plot twist later. It never did, and that was disappointing. The animation in the movie is outstanding. The opening sequence where Atlantis is pulled into the waves is breathtaking. The accuracy and design of the animation and computer generated effects is literally stunning and had me very excited. There could've been more detail in the characters' face, but the main zoom-outs and action sequences were amazing animation-wise. Speaking of action sequences, did I happen to mention Atlantis: The Lost Empire has some of the most exciting and involving action set-pieces ever designed and made for an animated film. The final battle is particularly one to cherish, it is tense, imaginative and very well constructed. Only not knowing about Mole's history and one slight detail in animation problem really stop Atlantis: The Lost Empire from being a masterpiece of animation cinema. It does come very close, because the voicing is perfect, the movie looks great, it has an excellent story and overall it's a whole heap of fun, but it had those slight problems that I couldn't quite ignore. Never the less, Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a fabulous, memorable, witty, intelligent and involving must-see film for 2001. MY GRADE: A-
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe it's just because im not ten anymore.
Review: "Thumbs Down!" Somebody help with this boring animated Disney flick! It was supposed to be a great adventrous one with cute humor! This film just tries to pass as something original, but is really a copy of Indiana Jones, just put into Disney's version. Children may be amazed with this movie, but I sure can't understand what is so wonderful about it. Half of the characters are just annoying, as is the offbeat humor. This could run for worst film of the summer.
Rating: 
Summary: Could Have Been Great
Review: 'Atlantis - The Lost Empire' takes several steps in the right direction for Disney, but not enough. I'll explain why in a bit... Milo (voice of Michael J. Fox) believes he knows the location of the lost city of Atlantis, if he could only finance a voyage. His dream comes true when he (with a little help) leads an expedition to discover the ancient city. (Sort of an Indiana Jones Under the Sea, if you will.) That's basically all there is to the plot. Not complicated, but full of potential. Disney has made some really good moves with 'Atlantis.' First of all, the film contains no musical numbers. I like Disney songs as much as the next person, but was glad none were included here. Also, the film has no cute little furry creatures for comic relief or "cutesy" moments. Thank you, Disney. The animation is first-rate, especially the battle scenes and the ending of the film. Very well done, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, the plot does have several holes that other have mentioned. I don't even mind that. What I do mind are idiotic characters that are included for comic relief (The cook and the "Mole" specifically). And why, WHY does the main character have to be a bumbling hero that somehow conquers all and saves the day? When is Disney going to decide one way or another whether they are making a film for kids or for adults? Of course, Disney wants to appeal to mass audiences. Okay. If you must have it both ways, look at how "the other guys" are combining kid and adult fare with success in the form of 'Shrek' and 'Monsters, Inc.' Disney has always been on the cutting edge of animation. That distinction is being threatened by Pixar. If Disney continues to crank out animation with the same formula stories, their audiences will indeed become as hidden as Atlantis.
Rating:
Summary: A Fun Thrill Ride
Review: * It is almost guaranteed that any Disney animated movie will
be a magnificently produced feast for the eyes, even though
the script may not be anything to write home about. ATLANTIS, THE LOST EMPIRE fits this formula perfectly. The
story is a bit by-the-numbers. In 1914, a frustrated young
archaelogist and student of dead languages named Milo Thatch
(voice of Michael J. Fox) is trying to convince the officials
of the museum in which he works to help him in his search for
the lost kingdom of Atlantis, which Milo believes sank into
the middle of the Atlantic long ago. They don't believe him, but a wealthy friend of Milo's eccentric
archaelogist grandfather comes to his aid, and Milo finds himself
on board a custom-made exploration submarine with a fairly
typical B-move gang of misfits in a dangerous adventure that
takes them all to the depths of the sea and into the bowels of
the Earth ... OK, I need say no more, that gives the general idea. The story's
a bit of INDIANA JONES and quite a bit of Edgar Rice Burroughs
(maybe a dash of that old Harryhausen movie as well) and
if it's not all that inspired and is quickly forgotten, at
least it clicks along nicely and isn't quite as ponderously
moralizing as many Disney animated flicks. And it doesn't really matter anyway, because the story's
basically an excuse for going on an animated Disney thrill
ride, or more correctly a series of them. In fact, I wouldn't
be surprised if ATLANTIS was leveraged into a bunch of very
entertaining VR rides. It is all very definitely a feast for
the eyes -- maybe a bit too visually busy and hyper for some
people -- and though I don't like going to theatres much
any more it was a bit of a pity that I didn't catch it on
a wide screen. (Got to get some goggle viewers one of these
days so I can get the effect at home.) So basically ATLANTIS may not have a lot of substance, but
the package is so pretty that it's not any big deal that there's
not all that much inside.
Rating:
Summary: "I didn't say it was the smart thing to do . . .
Review: . . . but it's the *right* thing." Okay. This is not, BY A LONG SHOT, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, or The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Uh-uh. No songs, no cute animal sidekicks (unless you count Mole, but that's not really fair . . .), and *gasp* a PG rating for violence. Never thought I'd see the day. Disney doing a PG animated feature! Wow. I, personally, love this movie. It's not quite the same caliber as The Emperor's New Groove----but this isn't a comedy, it's an action/adventure/drama type. Okay, the other characters could have been developed a _little_ more. Fair 'nuff. But first of all . . . God, isn't ANYone out there just a WEE bit tired of the hero and heroine falling in love?!?! How in HEAVEN'S name could anyone want a more developed love story? NO LOVE STORY! For once, it was more about friendship than romance. Thank the Lord! The romances in films, _especially_ Disney, have gotten SO predictable. It was a great, wonderful change to not have that clouding up everything here. Romance was unnecessary . . . so it wasn't put in. As for the other characters----Milo Thatch is just about my favorite Disney character of all time, and this was *his* movie, so I have little to complain about in terms of the other characters. This movie was about _him_; the secondary characters were just that. Main characters are often the only ones developed. So was it with Milo and Kida. Fine. I liked it. :) Michael J. Fox does a _superb_ voice-acting job here; I can NOT say enough about it. When Milo talks of missing his grandfather, Fox's emotion through voice alone is enough to move me to tears. It's rare that a live-action actor can do as well in a voice-acting situation (coughcoughTITANAEcoughcough). But Fox was just . . . amazing. See it for the outstanding acting, if no other reason. This has some humor, has some emotion, has plenty of action. And has a great moral about doing what you think is right. The whole Atlantis myth I found quite fascinating; this is a movie that will keep your attention. So, forget the animal sidekicks and the we'll-put-it-in-just-'cause-that's-how-it-ALWAYS-works romance and give Atlantis a try. If you really take a good look at Milo Thatch and watch this guy try to find the line between idealism and realism (and I, for one, can relate to THAT), you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: A change in heart
Review: ... I'm still left wanting to give Disney credit for trying out something different, yet the truth is that there were so many things wrong with the film that it never should have received such a high rating from me. Perhaps this is all getting put into perspective by Lilo and Stitch--a success on the part of Disney, or at least enough of a success that it has made me realize how much else by Disney hasn't been one. Truth be told, Atlantis stank just like so many other poorly conceived attempts. I would love to enjoy the sci-fi elements of this film, but it is regularly undermined by Disney's incomprehensible desire to attempt to appeal to all demographics (even if their films do better when they don't!) The end of this film made no sense, and far too much of the film felt derivitive of other things (derivative, not nostalgic), that it is really hard to say that much good about it other than it wasn't 100% fluff. At least it wasn't Hunchback of Notre Dame. C'mon Disney, your the biggest animation studio in the world, can't you make a film that doesn't require comparisons to worse films to justify their validity?
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