Reviews

I think the ratings are a bit harsh.

The story is a typical rehashing of a generic protagonist moving from self-doubt to hero as he and his friends embark on an adventure of discovery and peril. The dialogue wasn't bad, but definitely not as funny as some adults might come to expect from films like this. Plenty of laughs for the kids though. Two of the main characters are a little flat, but there's a host of side characters to keep you entertained.

The animation was surprisingly good for such a small studio. It was stylistically interesting/unique, and kept my interest, but the texturing and movement fell a little short for someone like myself, who really enjoys cutting edge computer animation produced by a big studio with lots of people power (i.e. enslaved animators spending hours on the texture of a single feather).

Overall, definitely worth a watch. Especially on a rainy day, when boredom has driven your spawn into a spiralling descent down the evolutionary ladder, and another re-run of Frozen might just push you over the edge.

The main criticism of this film is that it's plot is unrealistic. To me this movie falls in the same category as the film, Prisoners. The events in the story are unlikely and extreme, but entirely possible, but the directing, acting, and general atmosphere of the film are completely captivating.

The idea that a film/play/book has to be "realistic" sounds like a recipe for boredom. It's the exceptional stories people are interested in. You think anyone would Hamlet would have been a better play if Shakespeare wrote about the tedious social-politics of a royal family? Absolutely not.

A similar criticism I've been reading is that it's an "inaccurate portrayal" of these areas in America. Are there criminals and convicts writing these reviews? You'd be surprised how many people like Degroot (Harrelson) are out there, and the cooking/selling of meth/crack is a prevalent problem in these areas. The film does a good job of portraying the desperation of the decay of city/town built on a single, now dying industry. Ever been to Detroit? Parts of it look like a post-apocalyptic nightmare, filled with struggling people, many of which turning to illegal activities such as those portrayed in this film.

This is a fantastic classic movie of a classic fairy tale.

The sets are amazing (none of this green screen crap!)

The acting is fantastic. Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Smith, Robin Williams, and Charlie Korsmo do an especially good job.

The adaptation is written very well. Instead of the boy who can't grow up, it's the man who's forgotten how to have fun, and be in the moment, like a child.

The IMDb rating is way off. How the hell does Pitch Perfect, and rubbish like that do better? How? Because either this site is full of morons with no taste, or the world is, or more likely both...

All negativeness aside, this is a great movie, if you haven't scene it, you're missing out.

Dystopian Pirates vs. Reluctant Hero adventure.

5.9 ? That (re)confirms how completely off the mark IMDb ratings can be. I would say this movie is more like a 7.3.

Imaginative, captivating premise (irregardless of whether its actually possible). Decent acting. Good spectrum of characters. Big budget. Lots of fun.

Yes it's ridden with editorial flops (especially) if you watch the wide screen version. Ex. The famous scene where the bottle of scotch is gets more full as the scene goes on (clearly some thirsty actors!). But really, for me, it didn't detract much from the film.