The gorgeous visuals, exciting action, and fantasy storyline makes Ga’Hoole have both the best action this year and enough of a story to back it up.
Though the poster proudly reminds us that Legend is from the studio that cursed us with Happy Feet, this film is nothing of the sort. The “children’s” book it is based on, by The Royal Diaries author Kathrine Lasky, is astoundingly violent; the writers, John Orloff (A Mighty Heart) and John Collee (Creation, Oceans) are more interested in older audiences; and Director Zack Snyder, who’s previous kiddy-flicks include the heartwarming 300 and uplifting Watchmen, only shies away from bloodshed, making the film a non-stop torrent of action. This isn’t a bad thing—the film can still satisfy most everyone—and it makes it extremely enjoyable for all.
All of this is a pretty incredible feat considering two problems facing the picture: First, there is the fact that owls really only are outside at night, so practically every scene takes place in the dark. The pacing and lighting is so good, though, that not once did it become irritating or hard to see. Second is that though there is not a human character in the whole movie, there are about twenty important characters, and the animals—including bluebirds, echidnas, bats, Tasmanian devils, and of course owls—are anthropomorphized as little as possible. For once a movie that doesn’t want to dumb down its source material!
The story is of Soren (Jim Sturgress) and Kludd (Ryan Kwanten), to brother barn owls that fall out of their nests and are kidnapped by Nazi-esque birds to serve legendary villain Metal-beak (unfortunately he never takes off his mask so we can’t see his supposedly missing face). Soren is horrified by what he sees in Metal-Beak’s war camp—such as magical weapons and a brainwashed army being made to conquer the world—so he unites with a band of friends (Anthony LaPaglia, Emily Barclay, and David Wenham) in the hopes of escaping and reaching the possibly mythical Knights of the Round Table for owls, called the Guardians of Ga’Hoole. Kludd meanwhile is beginning to believe Metal-Beaks sinister idea, and is beginning to take his and Soren’s little sister (Adriana deFaria) into his destructive world. In the hopes trying to fix the horrible situation, Soren thinks he has to unite with the strange senior owl Ezylryb (Geoffrey Rush) who isn’t all that he seems.
The film’s themes aren’t as strong as other fantasy epics like The Chronicles of Narnia or
Lord of the Rings, but it definitely has some good ones on believing in morals and respecting the
old and wise. This will be a great message to all the viewers, especially the younger ones.
Though by younger viewers I am referring to those at least six and possibly older, for the film’s
greatest element is not for the easily disturbed. There is no blood and little on-screen killing, but the death toll is considerably high and the non-stop violence is intense. Then again, it is not just intense—it is awesome. This is easily the best action film of the year so far, an honor much achieved because the action isn’t just silly cartoon—the scenes are breathtakingly beautiful and the characters, while probably silly looking to actual owls, and photo-realistic to the human eye. The film is definitely worth seeing in 3-D: The experience is utterly absorbing. Legend of the Guardians is gorgeous and thrilling. Whether wanting to see a great epic or an exciting action flick this is the movie for you.
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