Atlantis: The Lost Empire

After experiencing “Star Wars: Episode I” two years before, I was ready for some more fun adventure films. With “Atlantis: The Lost Empire”, Disney departed from its conventional expectations and made an action-adventure film that is both science fiction and fantasy. While many critics and audiences did not care for the movie, I was really able to connect with it. I had adrenalin after seeing this movie for the first time. The focus is on the action and adventure but it is supported by an entertaining story with fun characters. There are funny moments and drama that add to the viewing experience. The musical score is one of my favorites and the show itself is my favorite animated film of 2001. The cast is also noteworthy. I am afraid however that I could lose my liking to "Atlantis".

Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise wanted to make the kind of film that they enjoyed seeing as kids such as “Star Wars” or “Indiana Jones” but throw in a little Jules Verne for originality sake. This led to the production of “Atlantis” which is the first science fiction animated film from Disney. The filmmakers used the story pattern of “The Hero’s Journey” to great effect. The resemblances to Indiana Jones are apparent with story elements such as Rourke’s hidden nature and the Heart of Atlantis. The film starts off with a bang and that sound is quite powerful. The filmmakers changed the beginning of the film from Viking explorers looking for Atlantis to the sinking of Atlantis. The reason for this was to allow the audience to connect with the citizens of Atlantis. We must care for them in order for Milo to be heroic. Also with this new opening scene, we see that Atlantis has advanced technology and slightly resembles Greek-stereotypes in terms of design. This adds a fantasy angle of the film. Milo’s expedition pitch in the next scene gives some justification for this new kind of Atlantis. This new start to the film also proves that Milo is right; that Atlantis does exist. The discarded beginning did not do this and it is easier to root for Milo when we know he is correct in this theories. Milo’s opening monologue really illustrates his character. He is passionate about finding Atlantis and we get take side with him because of his lecture. When he is later revealed to be the laughing stock of the museum, he becomes an underdog and this creates sympathy for him. We also come to understand that his passion for finding Atlantis comes from his grandfather. It is not just a dream of Milo’s but a family dream and one that he has had since childhood. “Atlantis” does a great job with its exposition scenes. They are intriguing and entertaining. One example is when Milo meets Whitmore. The meeting with Mr. Whitmore also reveals more of Milo’s passion. That photo of Whitmore and Thaddeus kissing is very funny by the way. If you are paying attention, there is some foreshowing in Rourke’s photo on Whitmore’s desk. The photo is partially covered by another document so that only half of his face is symbolically showing. Also, the line “Our lives our remembered by the gifts we leave our children” speaks very strongly to me. This meeting represents Milo “crossing the threshold” in “The Hero’s Journey”. He is no longer in his comfort zone and this continues into the next scene on the ship. That shot of the submarine descending down into the ocean is quite cool thanks in part to the music. Milo’s dream is coming true in ways he never could have imagined. The sheer size of the manpower and tools of the expedition astonish him. Because Milo represents the audience on screen, this amazement is passed along to us. Another intimating fact for Milo is that everyone is relying on him as a guide. The fact that his dream of finding Atlantis is coming true so fast in the film makes us root for Milo even more. Some might consider this rushed storytelling but I would argue in this case that we have a lot of story to get through. Milo's introduction to Moliere and Dr. Sweet continues to keep him unbalanced.

After their encounter with the Leviathan, there is no turning back. I love how Milo fixes the boiler in the digger and then acts like Don Knotts as he explains to Audrey how he did it. It is a funny moment thanks to the voice acting and the animation. Milo must continue to remain an underdog for as long as possible in order for him to be heroic at the end of the movie. As the expedition makes its way through the ancient highway, Milo is portrayed in the montage as the rookie and outcast. The team however accepts Milo in the end because they are not completely heartless. They see no harm in making friends with him and this side them is important for the climax. This also leads to that great scene of everyone’s back-stories. It differentiates Rourke and Helga from the rest of the team because the back-stories we hear allow us to connect with some of the characters and this is also essential as we approach the end of the film. The back-stories sequence also contains some good gags such as “I sleep in the nude” and Sweet's subsequent line. I like the scene after the crash inside the dormant volcano shaft because our interest is focused on other things instead of Milo and suddenly we realize along with the other characters that he is missing. Even though I have seen the movie many times, I still forget about Milo every time as the team discovers where they have crashed into and how they can get home. It is an example of good exposition in this movie. After a cool reveal of Atlantis, I like the initial conversation between Milo & Kida because of its progression. Milo attempts to repeat Kida’s words and then tries to speak to her in her language. Kida then changes to a new dialect because she can tell that Milo has knowledge of many languages. Milo then suspects that Kita can speak modern languages and demonstrates to the rest of the team by asking Kida if she can speak French. It appears that the Atlantians can speak English only after tracing its origin back to their own dialect. Milo does this through their conversation.

As everyone enters the city, Rourke and Helga’s brief conversation made me sit up in my seat when I first saw this movie. Rourke has a sinister secret plot, just like Korso on “Titan A.E.” had (a film released the year before "Atlantis"). The really good thing that the story team did was hint at this secret plan but only slightly. The audience must suspect something but not be able to figure it completely out. It was here that the movie really started to get good for me. It is interesting that Milo is willing to obey the King and leave Atlantis. He has wanted to find Atlantis his whole life and now, he is willing to just walk away. This is further portrayal his priorities and character. He wants to obtain this “power source” but not if it belongs to someone else. He suspected that the Atlantians were long dead but upon seeing them alive, he has no intention of taking what is rightfully theirs. Also, as much as he would still like to see the “power source” of the Atlantians, he is respectful to the king’s wishes. The king sees this goodness in Milo as revealed in the scene on his deathbed. Milo truly is no mercenary because the only reward he desires is knowledge and achieving a goal. I love the moment when Kida takes Milo up high to see the whole city. It is a wonderful scene because of the music and the subtext. We once again understand that Milo is not only living his dream but his grandfather’s dream. It is bitter sweet and this drama makes the movie special. I have had a similar experience as Milo when I visited Nauvoo, Illinois and looked at the view from the hill there. The music from this sequence in “Atlantis” came to mind as I looked at the great view before me and that memory will always come to my mind while watching this scene. Then comes the big story twist on “Atlantis” and you find out that everyone except the protagonist is in on the secret plan, not just Helga and Rourke. It is a shock because you liked a lot of these characters. At the same time, their inclusion in the conspiracy makes sense because they are only on the mission for the money. We just never guessed that they were dishonorable. Rourke has misinterpreted Milo’s drive, passion and perseverance in that he thinks Milo is one of them. I love Milo's acting when he finally figures it out and slams his fist in disappointment. The appeal we have towards the supporting characters however is essential because our protagonist tries to make his friends see reason and he succeeds. We need to believe their repentance. The fact that Atlantians exist does affect the plan for many members of the team, such as Sweet, but it takes Milo’s lecture to make them act. Milo points out that this is not like stealing an artifact from a museum; the people will eventually die if they take the Heart of Atlantis from them. Because of the goodness in the hearts of the team members, they take side with Milo. This creates an exciting climax full of action and awe. “Atlantis” has romance but it is not the focus of the movie. The reason for this is that Milo’s dream contains nothing about finding a girl and so the filmmakers do not focus our full attention on the relationship between Milo and Kida. Usually in movies where a character in a story has hopes and dreams, they obtain them in ways they did not expect as mentioned earlier. Milo and Kida’s love at the end of the movie is nice touch and nothing more. Milo stays because of his desire to help Atlantis and not just because of Kida. This shows the intelligence of the filmmakers because they do not put anything in the story they don’t need. Romance would add too much to the story. The concluding shot was very difficult at that time in the history of 2D animation and it is more impressive than any other shot in the whole movie: a great way to end things off.

Besides the story and action, the film has other great qualities. “Atlantis” would not be the movie it is without its cast of characters and the actors who bring them to life vocally. The members of the Whitmore Expedition are unique and interesting, which creates "likeability". A lot has been said already concerning Milo but a big reason why he works so well as the protagonist is the acting of Michael J. Fox. He apparently was offered a role in “Titan A.E.” and he let his son choose which movie he should be in. I am so glad that he did “Atlantis” because it wouldn't be the same without Fox. He brings such naivety and youthful energy to the character. The dramatic moments are also great for him, not just the comedic ones. At the same time, I forget while watching the film that he is the voice and this is proof of how well Milo works on screen. One favorite line of mine is “Well, I know. Why don’t you translate, and I’ll wave the gun around!” Rourke is established as a hard working, serious leader. We trust him at first because of his professionalism and leadership skills. He is less appealing than the other explorers so while his true nature is a surprise, it still makes perfect sense. James Garner was perfect and he did so well as Rourke. I have been listening to Cree Summer’s voice since I was very young and she was a welcome voice as Kida. Other great vocal performances come from John Mahoney and Leonard Nimoy. I love the character of Dr. Sweet because he is cool and funny. Because I wasn't a "Seinfeld" fan until university, I consider "Atlantis" as my introduction to Phil Morris who voices Sweet. I didn't make this connection until over a decade after the movie's release. Vinny is such a unique character and not the stereotypical Italian. Don Novello would read the lines once and then improvise. The final takes that would end up in the film were his improvised lines and that is so neat. Every time Vinny speaks, it is classic such as “That thing is going to keep me up all night. I know it.” Audrey is another character that appeals to me. I think I have a thing for girls who are both tough and feminine. This was Jim Varney’s last movie and he knew it would be so when you are listening to Cookie, you are hearing a dying man’s last words cinematically speaking. He never saw the final film. The design of this movie is worth mentioning because of the input of comic book artist Mike Mignola of “Hellboy”. It helps distinguish this movie from past Disney animated films. While creating the film, the directors knew that music would have to carry the many scenes that don’t have dialogue and James Newton Howard surpassed those expectations in my view. I have already mentioned various moments in the film with great music and another great musical sequence is when Milo and Kida are exploring the mural underwater. Finally, the scene with Kida being chosen as the crystal’s host is yet another moment where Howard shines. The music from this movie not only preserves one memory of mine but others such as moments of arrival and departure from the Philippines where I served as a missionary. This movie is James Newton Howard’s best work in my opinion and I am sure I would have rated this film lower on my scale had it not been for him. Another filmmaker (credited for working on the story for "Atlantis") was Joss Whedon, who previous to this movie co-wrote the screenplay of "Toy Story" and would in later years direct "The Avengers". The Whitmore explorers in “Atlantis” mirror that of the animation team at Disney that wanted to tap into something new with “Atlantis”. They were a group of different individuals out to achieve a common goal. This sense of purpose finds its way on to the screen in terms of mood.

Many feel that the Disney Renaissance ended with “Tarzan” or “Fantasia 2000”. I feel however that the Disney Renaissance did not just end abruptly but instead tapered off with “The Emperor’s New Groove”, “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” and “Treasure Planet”. “Atlantis” resembles in a way the kinds of live action films that Disney would release in the coming decade such as “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “National Treasure” and “Tron: Legacy”. Also, those “Avatar” fans whom have not seen “Atlantis” should see definitely see it because I believe that they would be more entertained by this animated film that came first. From what I have seen on the internet, a lot of people do like this movie more than "Avatar". This movie is a favorite animated film of mine because the filmmakers not only had action but also took the time to create drama and surprise in their story. The characters also do wonders for this movie. Despite the moderate success of the movie, it is still successful in my eyes. I remember one instance in university where we watched the movie outside on a TV screen with some people who had not seen it. They were impressed and they liked the movie. During the concluding shot of “Atlantis” and while listening to the musical score that accompanies it, I tend to look forward to the next time I will get to sit down to watch this great adventure. I would just hope that it continues to be fun to watch.

5 Stars