Atlantis: The Lost City

Much was made of it, and much will be made of it: "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" is not your father's Disney. Much was made of it, and much will be made of it: "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" is an experiment for Disney. No more song-and-dance numbers. No more cute and cuddly sidekicks. No more Disney trademark animation. Time now for anime--action-packed, action-jammed Japanese movies that are everywhere, making money, money, money.

I mention this not because I think you should go see "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" but as means and method of justifying WHY "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" won't succeed like it should.

Like Disney animation should, that is.

That said, now a word or two about "Atlantis: The Lost Empire": The story is set in 1914.

Why this particular time? Because this particular time was a time when technology was fairly advanced but not too advanced to dispell certain notions. Notions about sunken continents and lost worlds. Notions about how to find these worlds and places.

Courtesy of a very rich, but reclusive sort--a billionaire (when that meant something)--who has made his fortune based on such notions: Preston Whitmore (John Mahoney), who lives like Citizen Kane, behind giant iron gates in massive house. Alone.

Of course, for this sort of thing to happen a team has to be gathered to travel to lost worlds or sunken continents.

Enter the linguist Milo Thatch (Michael J. Fox). Conveniently Whitmore knew Milo's grandfather and entrusts to Milo an ancient notebook in which the old man may (or may not) have written the secret of Atlantis.

Now here's the thing: Milo isn't what could be called the cream of the crop in his field of study. He is, in fact, just a janitor.

At the Smithsonian Institution.

I digress. Once the team has been assembled they move aboard a submarine that Captain Nemo would readily lust after. Aboard the sub they are led by Rourke (James Garner). Additionally there is Vinny (Don Novello), Moilere the Mole (Corey Burton), the first mate, Helga (Claudia Christian), Audrey the mechanic (Jacqueline Obradors), Dr. Sweet (Phil Morris), Cookie the cook (Jim Varney), and Mrs. Packard (Florence Stanley).

Now Atlantis is protected by robotic sea leviathans, which all but stop the expedition before the effort can succeed in entering a volcano and reach the ocean floor. Once on the ocean floor the expedition encounters predictable things: Milo is befriended by Princess Kida (Cree Summer), whose father just happens to be the King (Leonard Nimoy), who has a distrust of the explorers.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic