Review of Titan A.E. (2000) by Elisa L — 09 Sep 2008
For the most part, science fiction films are about transporting viewers to worlds beyond their own, to show them things that they not only have never seen, but never imagined. No sci-fi film succeeds quite so spectacularly in that respect as this fast-paced animated adventure from Don Bluth and Gary Goldman who carve a new niche in animation, Titan A.E. doesn't feel like most feature cartoons these days. It's darker, grittier and has a real edge: more like Japanese anime.
The universe of Titan A.E. is fully developed, a wondrous landscape of alien vistas and fascinating characters for the heroes to interact with. Settings like the planet Shesharim featuring exploding hydrogen trees and the Ice Rings of Tegrin where ships play deadly games of cat-and-mouse form a breathtaking backdrop to all of the action. The story flows easily from the visuals, lending a natural excitement to all of the ensuing mayhem. It also makes full use of animation as a medium. This isn't just a cartoon version of reality; no human cast or crew could duplicate the scenes we see here, and the medium's unique properties are on full display from opening credits to closing reel.
And then there's the aforementioned edginess. Starting with the destruction of the planet, Titan A.E. ventures into some fairly dark territory and never apologizes for it. The sometimes violent chases and gunfights never flinch from showing us the consequences. Innocent bystanders are gunned down and blood leaks from injuries just like in real life, and when one of the bad guys breaks somebody's neck, it comes with such casual suddenness that you're not initially aware it happened. It took a lot of guts to green light something like that, and the filmmakers should be applauded for their efforts.
Titan A.E. is exciting and fun in a 13-year-old skater punk rebel kind of way. With flashes of brilliance and a lot of comic and visual thrills, it pulls you in and gives the exact sort of escapism a great sci-fi flick is supposed to produce.
This review of Titan A.E. (2000) was written by Elisa L on 09 Sep 2008.
Titan A.E. has generally received positive reviews.
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