Out this week in cinemas is Dreamworks Animations latest film, Abominable. Starring Chloe Bennett, Albert Tsai, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, Eddie Izzard, and Sarah Paulson Abominable tells the story of a young girl and her friend, a magical yeti.
Going into Abominable I had no expectations of the film itself but Dreamworks Animation has an incredible pedigree of work. For example, they are the studio behind Voltron: Legendary Defender, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, and the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. I am a fan of all of these works and many more so I was interested to see how Abominable turned out.
Anything but Abominable
I really enjoyed Abominable, honestly more than I thought I would. I hadn’t seen any trailers for the film and I hadn’t heard any buzz so I wasn’t sure what the film was about.
The story is a simple one, a mythical yeti is found on a rooftop by a young girl (Bennett) and she and her friends have to try and get him home. Standing in their way is an evil corporation hoping to utilise his very existence to elevate its status in the world. Led by the over the top Burnish (Izzard) with his right-hand woman Dr. Zara (Paulson) this villainous group wants him back, dead or alive.
This is but the surface level narrative. There is a deeper meaning behind Yi and Everest’s journey to his home on Mt. Everest (Yi affectionately names him after said mountaintop) and it’s quite charming. This theme invokes a strong sense of family and how families can be made up of anyone.
There are issues with Yi and Everests’ journey though. It’s sadly far too predictable. Abominable follows along the same steps as many animated adventures before it so you’ll know where the journey will end for the majority of these characters.
Beauty in the streets to mountains
The best part of the film comes in the form of its animation. The style of the characters is quite fluid. Everest is, in particular, a fun, furry, and flowing individual that audiences will adore. The cherry on top of the animation comes in the form of a scene in the second act of the film.
It involves a stunning wave comprised of nothing but yellow canola flowers and it is breathtaking. The beauty of the animation doesn’t stop there. Each locale in the film has its own style identity and their beautiful.
Along with the visuals there is also an emotive score and soundtrack. I was surprisingly moved at several moments throughout the film. Even now as I speak about it I’m tearing up a little.
Ultimately the success of Abominable comes down to the cast in my opinion. Though the writing can be a little mushy and childish at times the acting elevates it. The heroic trio of Yi, Peng (Tsai), and Jin (Trainor) have a wonderful charm and genuine chemistry together. It also doesn’t hurt that Everest is yet another unforgettable critter that rivals Toothless, Spirit, and other animated animals out there.
Abominable is a brilliant film. It’s got some originality issues but nothing that the stunning animation and charming cast don’t fix. Check it out with the little monsters in your family and you won’t be disappointed. Stay tuned to Scannain for more news, reviews, and interviews.