Summer of Magic- "Atlantis: The Lost Empire"

Originality is the heartbeat behind Disney animation. Even with stories that are steeped in legend, the studio has always had an uncanny ability to breath new life into these iconic stories. On rare occasions, though, Disney's quest for originality can be its downfall as the stories become too convoluted and oftentimes incoherent. Thus is the case with Atlantis: The Lost Empire. I applaud Disney for attempting to tell such a uniquely fascinating story based in legend and mythology, but ultimately, the execution is anything but uniquely fascinating. On paper, Atlantis should be yet another classic in the Disney canon with its stellar cast, intriguing story, and successful directors (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, directors of The Lion King and The Hunchback of Notre Dame), but in the end, I cannot help but feel underwhelmed when the credits begin to roll.

Not all is lost in Atlantis, however. In fact, the aspects that work in this film really work. Our main character, Milo Thatch, is a solid character, and that is all due to the excellent performance by Michael J. Fox. His trademark energetic spirit is on full display as Milo informs and entertains with the best of them. Milo's journey is also wholly relatable (more on that later), which provides a nice message to this tale. Also, since I alluded to it earlier and have just mentioned Fox, the cast in Atlantis is superb. Any flaws this film might possess are by no fault of its cast. In addition to Fox, Jim Varney, Corey Burton. James Garner, David Ogden Stiers, and Leonard Nimoy lend their voices to these characters and do their absolute best to save this film from the mires of mediocrity.

Unfortunately, as great as this cast is, the script does them no favors in regard to character development. The crew charged with travelling to Atlantis is given one nice scene in the entire film to develop their character, and even then, only Audrey and Vinny are given the opportunity to make much of an impression. Burton's Mole is our intended comedic relief, but because we know literally nothing about him, the physical comedy and jokes often fall flat. Kida and King Nedakh are the film's most interesting characters, but neither one is given enough screentime to become memorable. Therein lies another complaint I have about Atlantis. The film spends so much time focusing on the journey to Atlantis that by the time they finally arrive in the Lost Continent, there is no time for exploring this legendary civilization. The backstory we are afforded in an attempt to explain how Atlantis operates the way it does is so rushed and confusing that it is virtually impossible to understand it without multiple viewings.

In a film about Atlantis, we simply do not spend enough time in Atlantis, which is extremely disappointing. I think that is the crux of my complaints with Atlantis. There is so much potential in a story like this that I feel kind of cheated out of a potential genuine classic. If Disney would have narrowed their focus to Atlantis exclusively and not try to make some moral tale about humanity, this could have been a thoroughly entertaining film. Instead, however, they get bogged down in the details and fail to deliver the goods. I liken this film to The Sword in the Stone in the sense that both stories are set-up to be classics, but eventually fall way short of achieving greatness. I guess that is why Trousdale and Wise have not directed a Disney film since.

That being said, though, once again, Atlantis is by no means Disney's worst film. I have certainly seen worse (yes, still looking at you, The Black Cauldron). The animation in Atlantis, for one, is phenomenal, especially when the scene shifts underwater and into Atlantis itself. The cast is incredible, and there are some moments of bonafide extravagance. I just wanted more, and unfortunately, Atlantis constantly delivers less. A more cohesive story and focus would have greatly benefited this film as well as some more developed and memorable characters. How it stands today, though, Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a regretful example of what could have been, a glorious opportunity sacrificed on the alter of mediocrity.

Rating: 6/10

Historical Significance: In 2002, it was reported that Disneyland's Submarine Voyage was going to be re-themed to create an Atlantis attraction. However, due to the film's negative reception from audiences and critics, that idea was quickly scrapped. Luckily, one year later, Pixar would release another underwater film that would lend itself to the popular attraction. Furthermore, the language spoken by the Atlanteans was created by Marc Okrand, the creator of such iconic fictional languages as Vulcan and Klingon from the Star Trek series. I guess it is only appropriate that Leonard Nimoy, best known for portraying Spock in the original Star Trek films and television show, would voice King Nedakh in Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Behind the Scenes: Atlantis is certainly a different film for Disney, especially when compared to their Renaissance films. In order to exhibit this difference, the production crew often wore shirts that read, "ATLANTIS- Fewer songs, more explosions." Additionally, these following facts are quite random but somehow fascinating as well. Atlantis is one of the last Disney films to feature a character that prominently smokes (nice going, Packard). It is also the first time for Disney that an African-American is featured as an important supporting character with Audrey. Atlantis is a rare film for Disney in regard to the time and setting as it is one of Disney films to take place in an actual year (1914, in this case). Finally, Atlantis is the first Disney film since The Black Cauldron in 1985 to receive a PG rating.

Favorite Character: Like in Dinosaur, our main character is really the only one in the entire ensemble worth mentioning for this section. Milo Thatch is the sole character from Atlantis that experiences any resemblance of a character arc. We are introduced to his motivation for finding the Lost Continent early on when we discover that this quest had always been a passion for his grandfather. This provides a nice heart and soul behind the film because every single of us can connect to that desire to honor their lost loved ones. Plus, when his entire crew is turning their back on him in pursuit of riches, Milo stands firm in what he believes is the right thing to do: protecting Atlantis and its inhabitants. It is a rather powerful moment that challenges us all.

Favorite Scene: With no musical numbers or great character development scenes, my selection for this part is based solely on the impressiveness of the animation. The climatic battle between Commander Rourke and Milo/Atlantis is quite a spectacle to behold, deftly blending computer animation with hand drawn artistry. You can clearly see that Disney is getting a firmer grasp on how to use computer animation while also never fully abandoning the classic way of doing it. Once again, there's nothing truly sensational going on in this scene in regard to characters, but this sequence is just a feast for the eyes.

Updated Ranking: While I applaud Disney's willingness to once again push the envelope with their story ideas, Atlantis: The Lost Empire feels like a missed opportunity. It should have been a touchdown, but instead, we have to settle for a solid five-yard gain on first down.

1. Beauty and the Beast
2. The Lion King
3. Aladdin
4. The Little Mermaid
5. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
6. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
7. Peter Pan
8. Cinderella
9. The Jungle Book
10. Sleeping Beauty
11. Hercules
12. Mulan
13. The Emperor's New Groove
14. Tarzan
15. Pinocchio
16. Lady and the Tramp
17. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
18. Alice in Wonderland
19. Dumbo
20. Bambi
21. 101 Dalmatians
22. Pocahontas
23. The Great Mouse Detective
24. Fantasia
25. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
26. The AristoCats
27. Fantasia 2000
28. The Rescuers Down Under
29. Fun and Fancy Free
30. The Fox and the Hound
31. Robin Hood
32. Dinosaur
33. Melody Time
34. The Three Caballeros
35. Saludos Amigos
36. Oliver & Company
37. The Rescuers
38. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
39. The Sword in the Stone
40. Make Mine Music
41. The Black Cauldron

Luckily, Pixar is here to make 2001 a solid year for Disney/Pixar. Monsters Inc. is on deck!

-Cody Fleenor