Today, Blue Sky Studios’ EPIC hits theatres across Canada and it is definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
The movie follows a normal girl named MK (played by Amanda Seyfried), who embarks on a big adventure when she stumbles upon a tiny civilization hidden in the forest. While the movie starts off focused on MK, she is later joined by an unlikely group of heroes. There is Ronin (played by Colin Farrell), the leader of an army known as The Leafmen in charge of protecting the forest, who could learn to lighten up a bit. There’s Nod (played by Josh Hutcherson), a boy about MK’s age. Nod is the total opposite of Ronin and has to learn to be more responsible for his actions. Last, but not least, there is a funny snail and slug duo with huge dreams, named Grub and Mub (played by Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari). Together, they go on an “epic” adventure to save the forest from the villainous Mandrake (played by Christoph Waltz), who wants destroy it.
All of the characters are full of personality, so there really is something for everyone! One of the greatest things about this story is that all of the characters earn the title of hero. Unlike a lot of other movies where there is a hero and someone to be saved, all of the characters work to save the day. There are strong female characters, strong males, strong kids and adults, and even the funny guys who help save the forest. There are no damsels in distress in this story, just a great team where everyone is equal, which is rare in movies.
While the story is interesting, the main reason you should see EPIC is because of how it looks. Made by the creators of ICE AGE, EPIC is an animated film that looks amazing. Through this tiny world in the forest, animators have done an excellent job at making the audience feel like they are touring a new country or even a brand new planet! Since most of the movie takes place in the tiny universe of The Leafmen, a world so small it cannot be detected with the human eye, the movie shows us the forest in a way we’ve never seen before. It turns a natural-looking forest into a magical world where blades of grass are as tall as towers and a dragonfly is not a bug, but a flying ship! The forest-life is so lifelike that you almost forget you’re watching an animated film and not live footage. After you see this movie, you’re sure to look at the world around you in a different light!
Check out EPIC in theatres today!
RATING: 4/5