Review of Titan A.E. (2000) by Adam F — 18 Jan 2013

"Titan A.E." has some interesting ideas but there are too many characters that simply aren't interesting and the plot isn't involving enough to make you care. While the stakes of the film are high (with the earth being destroyed and humanity clinging on only the smallest shreds of hope in a galaxy where the friends are scarce) there's not a lot of tension in the film because the characters have little character.

The main villains hate humans and want to destroy earth for no reason, the crew of colourful aliens don't have much personality beyond the most obvious (the nerdy looking one with glasses is socially awkward and wacky, the strong aggressive female is.

.. strong and aggressive, the female love interest is cold towards our hero at first but warms up to him and the reluctant protagonist is rebellious at first but quickly grows a noble heart) and while there are a few alien worlds that are creative (the planet with the hydrogen plants and the ice rings) those turn out to be more interesting than the people navigating through them.

The computer animation is effective most of the time but once in a while it really clashes with the hand-drawn characters and in one particular scene towards the end it looks downright awful. There are also some basic logical problems with the film, like if a race of aliens can simply wander around destroying home worlds at will, why aren't there any consequences? How come with the dozens of different alien species we see in the film, none of them have banded together to fight off such a huge menace? Why is an incredibly crucial artifact, one so important the fate of the human race depends on it, given to a four year old without any instructions? Why, when there is a secret plan that could really create some turmoil within the crew, are only a few members aware of it? Visually the movie has a lot going on and it gets props for not pulling its punches and actually showing characters get hurt, bleed and die but often that's all it has going.

While young audiences (not too young though, since the movie is often quite violent) that may question the plot holes less might enjoy the film, adults will find it flat despite the cool visuals. (2/5 Dvd, January 11, 2013).