Titan A.E. (2000)

February 23, 2009

DVD, Seattle, WA

*** / ****

By Scott Muoio

In the year 3028 a vicious alien race known as The Drej have launched a full-scale attack on planet earth. Determined to wipe humankind from the face of the galaxy, the Drej’s assault results in the destruction of earth and a feeble, last second human evacuation.

Fifteen years later, the only human survivors carry out the remainder of their lives on drifter space colonies, second-class citizens of the greater galaxy. However, a little known savior exists that could spell the end to the human Diaspora: The Titan Project, an enormous space ship that survived the Drej assault. What The Titan Project entails and how it can save humankind is the pot gold at the end of the rainbow in the ambitious and often entertaining Titan A.E.

Titan A.E. is both very good and very bad depending on which of its aspects you focus on. The film features an astounding palette of cutting edge three dimensional computer graphics combined with snazzy two dimensional animated characters, some of the most awe-inspiring animated visuals ever seen. The bad is an array of miscast voice actors (Drew Barrymore is the most disappointing of the bunch) and a space adventure plot that consists of mostly pointless running from a faceless enemy that receives zero character development. Science fiction space operas like this rely on interesting bad guys and unfortunately, Titan A.E. misses the mark.

Overall though, Titan A.E. is packed with so many stunning visuals and a tremendously clever overarching theme that the poor plot details are easily forgotten. There are plenty of animated films better than Titan A.E. but few that will mesmerize you with their visuals like this stunner. And for that alone it is easy to recommend Titan A.E. as an ambitious cinematic venture well worth your time.

Director: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman

Producer: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, David Kirschner

Writer: Screenplay by Ben Edlund, John August, Joss Whedon (Story by Hans Bauer, Randall McCormick)

Starring: Matt Damon, Bill Pullman, John Leguizamo, Nathan Lane, Janeane Garofalo, Drew Barrymore

Original Music: Graeme Revell