A visual bonanza

Legend of The Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010)
Certified: PG
Duration: 97 minutes
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Voices of: Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Barclay, Anthony LaPaglia, Ryan Kwanten, Helen Mirren, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving
KRS release

Zack Snyder, who directed the exhilarating 300 and the flawed but ambitious superhero film Watchmen, returns to the fray with an enthralling adaptation of Kathryn Lasky’s much loved first three books in the 15-book series Guardians of Ga’Hoole.

The story may be a bit heavy-handed at times and the “owls” are not the usual cartoon heroes. While the film, like any Disney picture, has a message for all the family, it however comes dressed in Lord of The Rings/Frank Frazetta trappings to make this film unlike anything before it.

Soren (Jim Sturgess) and Elgantine (Adrienne DeFaria) are brother and sister barn owls who have always been fascinated by the story of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole, owl knights who defeat the evil Pure Ones. Not so their sceptical brother Kludd (Ryan Kwanten). At one point, the owls, who are still unable to fly, fall from their nests and are saved by some owls that take them to the headquarters of the Pure Ones. Their leader, Metal Beak (Joel Edgerton) and Nyra (Helen Mirren) are building a weapon that will destroy the other owl kingdoms.

Kludd is taken in to be a warrior while Soren and Gylfie (Emily Barclay), a small elf owl, are made to search for metal flecks. Coached by Grimble (Hugo Weaving), an old owl warrior, they are taught to fly and accompanied by another group of owls they set off to find the legendary Guardians…if they really exist! Along with Soren there is the hyperactive Digger (David Wenham) and the over-the-top pompous Twilight (Jay Laga’ala).

The film’s animation was in the hands of the company Animal Logic that had already handled such duties excellently on the 2006 hit film Happy Feet. Owls are not as cute as penguins and thus the emphasis here is less on the comical and more on the adventure part. At times the film reaches the mythic feel that it aspires to but not always. However, the final battle scene is simply a very fitting conclusion.

While the film lacks in characterisations, it delivers a visual experience that is simply dazzling complete with ruffled feathers, intense action and steely beaks. The story is caught in the middle between trying to please both children and young adults, which is very difficult. The subject matter is not so easy to tackle either as the film is almost a fable about Nazism.