Rise of the Guardians (Peter Ramsey, 2012): USA

Reviewed by Whitney Murdy. Viewed at the AFI Fest 2012.

This is not your average Disney princess type film as Peter Ramsey makes his directorial debut in the Dreamworks Animated film, Rise of the Guardians. Based on William Joyce’s book, “The Guardians of Childhood”, the movie plays with the idea of what if Santa and the Tooth Fairy knew each other. In an Avengers like fashion, the childhood mythological characters are united together to protect the children against fear. In 3-D animation, this film takes you on a wild adventure that will make you feel like a child again.

Alec Baldwin, with an almost unrecognizable Russian accent, voices North, a tattooed Santa that wields two swords.  E. Aster Bunnymund is voiced by the Australian hunk Hugh Jackman, who in his native fashion carries a boomerang and travels through magical holes in the ground in homage to Alice in Wonderland. The adoring Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher) is half human and hummingbird and is obsessed with children’s teeth and the silent Sandman makes a lovable impression without uttering a single word. Jack Frost (Chris Pine) is a lost individual who no one believes in and the guardians need children to believe in them. The guardians must come together to fight against the dark spirit Pitch (Jude Law) who is the fear hiding under children’s beds that bring them nightmares, the boogeyman.

In a predictable fashion, Jack feels unloved and finds no hope in joining the guardians but instead goes on a selfish quest to figure out who he was so that he can discover what he is supposed to do. The guardians are a new group of heroes for children that has a more epic story than some of Dreamworks past projects like Madagascar. Jack Frost has a young amicable quality about him, despite the fact that he has been on the naughty list 120 years for messing with children. With fearless battles and heart warming moments, this film is enjoyable for adults and children alike and is certainly added to the classics with its swashbuckling like journey.

 

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Published:
11.08.12 / 11pm
Category:
AFI Filmfest 2012, Animation, Films