Releasing 25 films in 14 years, Dreamworks Animation have had mixed success in a field often dominated by Disney and Pixar, with a considerable chasm between their hits (the Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda series) and misses (Bee Movie, Megamind and Over the Hedge among them). Their latest – the holiday-themed Rise of the Guardians – falls safely in the middle.
Based on William Joyce’s The Guardians of Childhood books and The Man in the Moon short film by the author that followed, the feature’s premise proves its highlight. Revealing the protectors of the title to be favoured childhood icons – Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin, To Rome with Love), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman, Real Steel), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher, Bachelorette) and the Sandman (who doesn’t speak, but instead conjures sand images above his head to communicate) – the film delves into the magic and mystery of these mythical figures’ true purpose.
Charged with ensuring an enduring sense of wonder among the world’s youngest citizens, the quartet finds their task threatened when their enemy, the Boogeyman (Jude Law, Hugo) re-emerges. Only a new addition to their line-up can help save the day: the freshly-appointed but reticent and reluctant spirit of winter, Jack Frost (Chris Pine, This Means War).
Marking the feature directorial debut of storyboard artist Peter Ramsey (Shark Tale), and boasting an adapted script by Pulitzer Prize-winning Rabbit Hole playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, Rise of the Guardians endeavours to capture the enchantment its underlying idea promises. Alas, the film’s fortunes in achieving the feat are modest, with the charm of the novel fantasy notion failing to translate from concept to content. While the animation is crisp and colourful, the voice-acting perfectly pitched, and the story’s core message filled with warmth, there’s a lingering feeling that something is missing.
The absent elements are many, from the slightness of the storybook characters to the uneven pace in the plotting department. Once the scene is set, the feature lacks urgency, relying upon the visuals to sustain momentum. Further, a family-centric formula sets in, with easy laughs, an overdose of holiday spirit and a complete lack of subtlety. Yet, although inconsistent and unlikely to enthral adults, Rise of the Guardians still offers a plethora of fairytale figures in a unique adventure; that alone is certain to entertain younger viewers.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Rise of the Guardians
Director: Peter Ramsey
USA, 2012, 97 min
In cinemas 13 December
Previews in selected cinemas this weekend
Distributor: Paramount
Rated PG
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