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Special Features
Maximum Kid Mode: Soren guides you through the movie and reveals exciting real-life stories about the owl kingdom--includes two challenges, Armor Up with Soren and Eglantine, and Match the Owl Treats
Legend of the Guardians: Rise of the Guardians: The owls' legendary bedtime story
To the Sky music video by Owl City
Four artwork galleries
True Guardians of the Earth: Digger and Rico Rodriguez host a look into the world of owls
New Looney Tunes cartoon: Fur of Flying
Legend of the Guardians: Rise of the Guardians: The owls' legendary bedtime story
To the Sky music video by Owl City
Four artwork galleries
True Guardians of the Earth: Digger and Rico Rodriguez host a look into the world of owls
New Looney Tunes cartoon: Fur of Flying
Editorial Reviews
Acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) makes his animation debut with this fantasy adventure based on the beloved books by Kathryn Lasky. Young owl Soren marvels at his father's epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, mythic winged warriors who fought a great battle to save all owl kind from the evil Pure Ones. When he and brother Kludd fall from their treetop home and into the talons of the Pure Ones, it's up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave owls. Together they seek the Great Tree, home of the Guardians--the only hope of defeating the Pure Ones and saving the owl kingdoms. The stellar voice cast includes Abbie Cornish, Miriam Margolyes, Helen Mirren, Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess and Hugo Weaving.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 41 people found the following review helpful
By Tech 8086
Format:Blu-ray
I saw this movie in theaters in Imax 3D, and I was astounded by the visuals. The atmosphere was breathtaking, and the animation of the owls was superbly done. The musical score is incredible for an animated film. This is one of the best animated films I have seen, and as for it being CGI... this is what CGI was made for. I was more eager for the release of this film to Blu-Ray than any other film this year.
What I truly enjoyed about Legend of the Guardians is that it is not just another dumbed-down children's movie. It does not look down on the intelligence of the audience. There's no blood and gore, but the owls do wield some scary weaponry and participate in some intense battle scenes, and the tone of the story can be rather dark at times. The danger to the characters is real, and there's a good deal of tension and suspense. It reminded me of some of the older animated films like The Secret of NIMH in the sense that the movie takes itself seriously. That's a refreshing change from the usual treatment that animation receives. When I learned that Zach Snyder (300) directed the movie, I understood why, and he did a superb job. I wish more film makers would take this approach.
After seeing the movie in the theater, I became interested in the books and I have read the first four so far. If you have read the books and not seen the movie you will notice some definite differences. Some characters are added, some are not present, and some have undergone some changes. The story is based around the first three books, and much of the story in the books has been condensed. This is the result of the screenplay adaptation process. There's simply no way to fit the entirety of the books verbatim into a film. The movie would be over three hours, and even at 90 minutes, the production cost is expensive. There's also a matter of pacing the film for the audience, and having a complete story for a single film. A sequel is always possible, but the screenwriters know that they need to tell a story without the necessity for a sequel. I would have preferred a longer film myself with some more fleshing out of Soren's time in the Ga'Hoole tree, but as it is, the story is fine and quite enjoyable. If you have seen the movie but have not read the books I highly recommend them. They are written for older children, but adults can easily enjoy them, and after having read the books and watching the film again I was able to appreciate the film even more for knowing some of the smaller details better.
I recently encountered a superb deal on a 3D-capable Samsung plasma TV and 3D Blu-Ray player. Tonight I watched this movie in 3D, and it was just like being in the theater again. The visual quality is just incredible. If you have a 3D-capable home theater, this is the version you want. It includes a 2D Blue-Ray copy as well as standard DVD, so if you've been considering upgrading to 3D sometime in the near future then go for this version. It's worth it if you like the 3D experience, and it's one of only a few 3D movies available at this time.
In regards to Charles Solomon's official review of this movie... potential buyers, ignore it. Read the customer reviews instead of this recycled movie-critic drivel. Amazon, if you intend to actually sell products like movies, please find people to review them that actually want to sit down and watch them, or at least have an open mind when they do so. Solomon's review sounds like he was forced to sit through a movie he didn't want to watch in the first place and then had nothing nice to say about it as a result. I wager that he's being honest in the sense that he personally didn't like the movie, but most of us feel differently about the film, and reviews like that certainly don't do much to help your sales.
What I truly enjoyed about Legend of the Guardians is that it is not just another dumbed-down children's movie. It does not look down on the intelligence of the audience. There's no blood and gore, but the owls do wield some scary weaponry and participate in some intense battle scenes, and the tone of the story can be rather dark at times. The danger to the characters is real, and there's a good deal of tension and suspense. It reminded me of some of the older animated films like The Secret of NIMH in the sense that the movie takes itself seriously. That's a refreshing change from the usual treatment that animation receives. When I learned that Zach Snyder (300) directed the movie, I understood why, and he did a superb job. I wish more film makers would take this approach.
After seeing the movie in the theater, I became interested in the books and I have read the first four so far. If you have read the books and not seen the movie you will notice some definite differences. Some characters are added, some are not present, and some have undergone some changes. The story is based around the first three books, and much of the story in the books has been condensed. This is the result of the screenplay adaptation process. There's simply no way to fit the entirety of the books verbatim into a film. The movie would be over three hours, and even at 90 minutes, the production cost is expensive. There's also a matter of pacing the film for the audience, and having a complete story for a single film. A sequel is always possible, but the screenwriters know that they need to tell a story without the necessity for a sequel. I would have preferred a longer film myself with some more fleshing out of Soren's time in the Ga'Hoole tree, but as it is, the story is fine and quite enjoyable. If you have seen the movie but have not read the books I highly recommend them. They are written for older children, but adults can easily enjoy them, and after having read the books and watching the film again I was able to appreciate the film even more for knowing some of the smaller details better.
I recently encountered a superb deal on a 3D-capable Samsung plasma TV and 3D Blu-Ray player. Tonight I watched this movie in 3D, and it was just like being in the theater again. The visual quality is just incredible. If you have a 3D-capable home theater, this is the version you want. It includes a 2D Blue-Ray copy as well as standard DVD, so if you've been considering upgrading to 3D sometime in the near future then go for this version. It's worth it if you like the 3D experience, and it's one of only a few 3D movies available at this time.
In regards to Charles Solomon's official review of this movie... potential buyers, ignore it. Read the customer reviews instead of this recycled movie-critic drivel. Amazon, if you intend to actually sell products like movies, please find people to review them that actually want to sit down and watch them, or at least have an open mind when they do so. Solomon's review sounds like he was forced to sit through a movie he didn't want to watch in the first place and then had nothing nice to say about it as a result. I wager that he's being honest in the sense that he personally didn't like the movie, but most of us feel differently about the film, and reviews like that certainly don't do much to help your sales.
140 of 158 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Based on Kathryn Lasky's children's series (Guardians of Ga'hoole Complete Set, Books 1-15), The Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga'hoole is an epic story of good and evil, bravery, betrayal and of doing what's right.
Briefly, the story centers around Soren, a young barn owl living in the forest of Tyto, who is enraptured with the tales his father tells of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, the great warriors and protectors of the owl world who have passed into legend. When Soren and his brother Kludd are kidnapped and taken to a deep canyon where young owls are being "moon-blinked" into mindless slavery by the evil "Pure Ones", Soren escapes with another young owl and sets out to find the Guardians and plead for their help. Once they find the Guardians, a rescue is planned and the film climaxes with a soaring aerial battle between the Guardians and the Pure Ones.
The plot is not new. Fans of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, among others, will recognize many of the story elements and several of the characters common to films and books based on the classic "Hero's Journey". So, the question becomes - have the filmmakers made this hero's journey one worth seeing? For me, the answer is "Yes". And that "yes" comes, in no small part, from how the film looks.
Legend of the Guardians is so completely spectacular to look at that I found myself able to ignore some of the issues with the plotting and the script and just sit back and drown in the visual feast. The "scenery" throughout the entire film - so jaw-droppingly gorgeous in theaters - translates very well to the home screen and the animation looks superb on Blu-ray. The flying sequences are not quite as breathtaking here as they were on the big screen, but all-in-all I think the film has made a successful transition to home viewing. Certainly it remains incredibly beautiful and exciting to look at. I wish all animated films offered the same visual pleasure.
Parents should be aware, though, that "animated" in this case does not translate into "kiddie-show". While there are moments of warmth and companionship and a few humorous bits, the film has a number of violent scenes and an overall intensity that might frighten or lessen the enjoyment of the under 8 crowd. I will volunteer, though, that my just under 8 year old granddaughter LOVED this film and didn't seem to find it too intense at all. So my age guesstimate might be a bit off. Since parents always know their own children and what they can handle far better than any reviewers do anyway, I offer the "8 and over" as a sort of jumping off point. :) I'll add, too, that the level of intensity I felt the film possessed on the big screen seemed somewhat lessened when I viewed the film at home.
A few additional notes on the film:
* There are a lot of characters with unusual names. Unless viewers (kids OR adults) have read the books, they're probably not going to catch or remember them all in a first viewing.
* There are a few instances where the dialogue is difficult to understand.
* The score suits the film. In parts it incorporates the human voice, as Lord of the Rings did, to effectively evoke an emotional response in the viewer. On the other hand, the song "To the Sky" (credited to "Owl City" on the soundtrack CD) was, IMO, the film's most glaring misstep. The chipper tune felt so out of place it actually made me cringe.
Some notes on the DVD (I bought the Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy version):
I'll admit straight off that I am not a techy person, so my comments on the quality of the video can be taken with that in mind. That said, the Blu-ray picture clarity is wonderful, the colors vivid and the sound good. For me, all are completely satisfactory. Navigation is pretty straight-forward and didn't trip me up too often - something I'm thankful for and something I, unfortunately, can't say about all DVDs.
The film can be viewed in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese. Subtitles in those same languages are also offered.
Special features include:
* "True Guardians of the Earth": The animated character Digger & Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) host a documentary about owls which presents interesting information in a kid-friendly style.
* Maximum "Kid" Mode - Explore the World of Ga'hoole": Soren and other cast members act as guides for this picture-in-picture style viewing of the film. Information is offered on animation and various aspects of filmmaking and storytelling. Well done. Should be particularly interesting to young people interested in behind the scenes stuff and the nuts and bolts of filmmaking. Also included is additional scientific information about owls, their anatomy and their habits.
* Legend of the Guardians: Armor up with Soren & Eglantine: Kids can mix and match different types of owl armor.
* Match the Owl Treats: A matching game.
* "Legend of the Guardians: Rise of the Guardians": A short film about the Pure Ones and the legendary Battle of the Ice Claws between Metalbeek and Lyze of Kiel.
* Looney Tunes "Fur of Flying": The Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon featured in theaters along with LOTG. (On the 3D version of this DVD, this cartoon is also in 3D.)
* Artwork Galleries: stills of some of the lovely artwork from the film.
* "To the Sky" music video by Owl City.
For my granddaughter and me, this film was a winner and now that it's part of my home collection, I'm looking forward to sharing it with my other grandchildren over the next few years as they grow old enough to appreciate it. While the plot may be rather familiar, IMO it avoided coming across as tired or trite. That, along with the stunning look of the film, makes it easy for me to recommend it. And I do, happily.
Enjoy!
Briefly, the story centers around Soren, a young barn owl living in the forest of Tyto, who is enraptured with the tales his father tells of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, the great warriors and protectors of the owl world who have passed into legend. When Soren and his brother Kludd are kidnapped and taken to a deep canyon where young owls are being "moon-blinked" into mindless slavery by the evil "Pure Ones", Soren escapes with another young owl and sets out to find the Guardians and plead for their help. Once they find the Guardians, a rescue is planned and the film climaxes with a soaring aerial battle between the Guardians and the Pure Ones.
The plot is not new. Fans of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, among others, will recognize many of the story elements and several of the characters common to films and books based on the classic "Hero's Journey". So, the question becomes - have the filmmakers made this hero's journey one worth seeing? For me, the answer is "Yes". And that "yes" comes, in no small part, from how the film looks.
Legend of the Guardians is so completely spectacular to look at that I found myself able to ignore some of the issues with the plotting and the script and just sit back and drown in the visual feast. The "scenery" throughout the entire film - so jaw-droppingly gorgeous in theaters - translates very well to the home screen and the animation looks superb on Blu-ray. The flying sequences are not quite as breathtaking here as they were on the big screen, but all-in-all I think the film has made a successful transition to home viewing. Certainly it remains incredibly beautiful and exciting to look at. I wish all animated films offered the same visual pleasure.
Parents should be aware, though, that "animated" in this case does not translate into "kiddie-show". While there are moments of warmth and companionship and a few humorous bits, the film has a number of violent scenes and an overall intensity that might frighten or lessen the enjoyment of the under 8 crowd. I will volunteer, though, that my just under 8 year old granddaughter LOVED this film and didn't seem to find it too intense at all. So my age guesstimate might be a bit off. Since parents always know their own children and what they can handle far better than any reviewers do anyway, I offer the "8 and over" as a sort of jumping off point. :) I'll add, too, that the level of intensity I felt the film possessed on the big screen seemed somewhat lessened when I viewed the film at home.
A few additional notes on the film:
* There are a lot of characters with unusual names. Unless viewers (kids OR adults) have read the books, they're probably not going to catch or remember them all in a first viewing.
* There are a few instances where the dialogue is difficult to understand.
* The score suits the film. In parts it incorporates the human voice, as Lord of the Rings did, to effectively evoke an emotional response in the viewer. On the other hand, the song "To the Sky" (credited to "Owl City" on the soundtrack CD) was, IMO, the film's most glaring misstep. The chipper tune felt so out of place it actually made me cringe.
Some notes on the DVD (I bought the Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy version):
I'll admit straight off that I am not a techy person, so my comments on the quality of the video can be taken with that in mind. That said, the Blu-ray picture clarity is wonderful, the colors vivid and the sound good. For me, all are completely satisfactory. Navigation is pretty straight-forward and didn't trip me up too often - something I'm thankful for and something I, unfortunately, can't say about all DVDs.
The film can be viewed in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese. Subtitles in those same languages are also offered.
Special features include:
* "True Guardians of the Earth": The animated character Digger & Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) host a documentary about owls which presents interesting information in a kid-friendly style.
* Maximum "Kid" Mode - Explore the World of Ga'hoole": Soren and other cast members act as guides for this picture-in-picture style viewing of the film. Information is offered on animation and various aspects of filmmaking and storytelling. Well done. Should be particularly interesting to young people interested in behind the scenes stuff and the nuts and bolts of filmmaking. Also included is additional scientific information about owls, their anatomy and their habits.
* Legend of the Guardians: Armor up with Soren & Eglantine: Kids can mix and match different types of owl armor.
* Match the Owl Treats: A matching game.
* "Legend of the Guardians: Rise of the Guardians": A short film about the Pure Ones and the legendary Battle of the Ice Claws between Metalbeek and Lyze of Kiel.
* Looney Tunes "Fur of Flying": The Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon featured in theaters along with LOTG. (On the 3D version of this DVD, this cartoon is also in 3D.)
* Artwork Galleries: stills of some of the lovely artwork from the film.
* "To the Sky" music video by Owl City.
For my granddaughter and me, this film was a winner and now that it's part of my home collection, I'm looking forward to sharing it with my other grandchildren over the next few years as they grow old enough to appreciate it. While the plot may be rather familiar, IMO it avoided coming across as tired or trite. That, along with the stunning look of the film, makes it easy for me to recommend it. And I do, happily.
Enjoy!
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By Robert Lopez
Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have been lured into watching chick flicks, or children's stories retold for adults (like "Where The Wild Things Are...ugh) and it is often a tortuous event. I dragged my feet (big time) on this one, but was out-voted. I just can't believe I actually enjoyed it! I mean, I really liked it. I would NEVER have picked this one on my own in a million years! If I were to say something negative, I would say that it got off to a tad of a slow start. That aside, this was totally unexpected, and the ANIMATION! WHOA! I just thought it was going to be some fluffy, foofy, silly little kid's thing. While the kids did love it, I was astounded at the solid good vs evil story, awesome flying and aerial combat scenes. The owls actually look like their speaking. The dramatic depiction of a very stormy ocean... mountains. I can't say enough about the graphic imagery. Just spell-binding. This is a winner.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
n/a
I love owls and I am a animal rights person, and when I saw this movie on cable I had to get it.
Published 16 hours ago by CHERYL
5.0 out of 5 stars
action paked
this movie is jam packed with visually stunning action sequences I know you would think it seems boring because it is about owls fighting owls but it is not it is vey entertaining... Read more
Published 19 hours ago by ilovemylife
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!
This item came in perfect condition. Brand New. I recommend this movie. the graphics are A-mazing! love this movie! thank you so much :)
Published 3 days ago by Natasha
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie! Great graphics! Great characters!
This movie is perhaps the greatest cartoon of all time. The filmmakers have maxed out with this one. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Taylor J. Huston
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie for the family
The story is predictable for the adults, but the kids enjoy watching such a fantastic story of triumph. The animation is top-notch. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Paul Laska
5.0 out of 5 stars
Happy, GREAT animation, worth rewatching
I've watched this film maybe 10 times, before buying it. The animation is fantastic, extremely realistic. Read more
Published 7 days ago by brainout
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great kids movie
Very good kids movie with action and suspense with a good story line as well as good stories being told within the movie.
Published 11 days ago by adrian sachenz
5.0 out of 5 stars
movie
This is a item purchased. Why do they make me type this crap. I need seven more words. Like these!
Published 12 days ago by J. Henry McDaniel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not for toddlers
The adults in our family liked the movie. But there was too much talking to hold their attention. Nice artwork.
Published 15 days ago by Karen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely worth the time
Rented this movie on my tablet out of curiousity. Was pleasantly surprised by it. Good inspiring movie that kids and adults alike will enjoy.
Published 16 days ago by Krystal
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