Customer Reviews

Titan A.E. (Special Edition)

5 star:		(120)
4 star:		(80)
3 star:		(43)
2 star:		(33)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

I went to see "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" the second day it came out,(and boy was I dissapointed) during the previews I saw a small teaser trailer for this film with Cale speaking while the Titan escapes the Earth's destruction. I expected that Titan A.E. would be an all-CG film ala "Antz" or "Toy Story" so I was curious. Later on I discovered that it would be a hand drawn animated film combined with CG animation and effects. I grew even more curious, but I was a serious anime fan, and after seeing great stuff like "Akira," "Bubblegum Crisis" and "Ghost in the Shell" I was convinced that I would never see anything the least bit close of quality come out of the U.S., I was in for a huge surprise.

Titan A.E.(in which I went to see the first day of it's release) turned out to be an awesome experience that was just as exciting as any anime I've seen. First of all the animation was simply incredible, the characters were the normal, well-drawn Don Bluth character designs which were good, but the real star was the CG effects and animation that blended with the hand-drawn animation even BETTER than the anime,"Blue Submarine No. 6" did. Plus, it was nothing like anything I've seen out of an American animated movie. No comic sidekicks(which is symbolized in one early scene in a comically violent scene) intense kick-ass music that perfectly complements the tense action and DOESN'T degenerate into a dumb musical. And it contains a number of awesome, visually spectacular action scenes. From the fast- paced chase scene involving spherical hydrogen trees to the final chase at the Ice Rings of Tegrin(Cale's chase with the Wake Angels was an awe-inspiring moment), Titan A.E. is a far cry from anything that Disney has put out. But cynical and angry critics and moviegoers buried Titan A.E. and just saw it as a "cartoon." Which is a real tragedy, cause Titan A.E. deserves a lot more recognition than it's getting.

Overall, I really think people should appreciate this film for what it's trying to be, a mature animated film that is really targeting teenagers and tries to avoid the "Disney" syndrome. Titan A.E. isn't really a movie for children, it can be violent and has content that reaches the PG-13 rating.(which I find even more refreshing) But overall, I can't wait for this wonderful movie to come out on DVD, and I hope that Fox puts plenty of effort into it and provides it with lots of extras. If you just leave your cynicism at the door you will discover an awesome film. Titan A.E. is one of the best (and underated) films of the year, that's even better than Disney's "Dinosaur". American Animation would take a turn for the better if there were more films such as this( and "The Iron Giant" which suffered the same fate.) But unfortunately after the results of the last two movies, that doesn't seem very likely...

Once again, I find myself defending the substance of a movie that everyone claims has none.

First off, let me say that this movie has a unique and complex plot. I really don't see how anyone can dislike Titan's storyline. The Titan is NOT like the Genesis device from the Wrath of Kahn (Titan builds a new planet, while Genesis provides instant terraforming of an existing world) and Cale has NOTHING in common with Luke Skywalker except blonde hair. I've seen movies that ended with the end of the world (End of Evangelion, for example), but this is the only one that begins with the end of the world and tells of what happens afterward. Simply put, this is a movie about finding hope after everything you know has been lost. Don Bluth tells this type of story well, and though Titan is certainly no Land Before Time, it does a damn fine job of pulling its characters' heartstrings. The first few minutes after the opening credits are VERY finely crafted, and they thoroughly convince us that humanity has become much like pre-WW2 Jews - i.e., having lost their homeland, everyone else steps all over them because they know they can get away with it. From there, the story becomes a sort of scavenger hunt, driven by Cale's desire to find his father, Korso's desire to get rich, Preed's desire to evade execution by the Drej, and Akima's desire to have a home where two inches of steel aren't the only thing separating you from space. The character interactions are as detailed and three-dimensional as the CGI, thanks in no small part to the infinite brilliance of Joss Whedon. There is a constant feeling of atmosphere; a perpetual, indescribable intensity that applies to everything from the crystal blue Drej ship interiors to the dusty and broken ruins of the Gau civilization. The ever-cool Bill Pullman does a great job as the redeemable almost-villain Captain Korso, Drew Barrymore adds both sugar and spice to the role of Akima, Nathan Lane is PERFECT as Preed, and I've never met a Janine Garofalo role that I didn't like. My compliments to the casting director.

Even the jaw-dropping eye candy is nearly always only shown when the plot is moving ahead, such as the chase through the hydrogen trees that eventually just gets Cale and Akima caught by the Drej. With a steady subtle undercurrent of sexual tension and liberal amounts of comedy to fill the gaps, there is almsot never a dull moment, although there is that one useless scene with the Wake Angels. The two or three plot twists are genuinely surprising, the blend of animation and CGI is seamless, and Don Bluth once again proves that he is the GOD of all animation.

There are no plot holes. There's a reasonable explanation for everything, you just have to pay attention and sometimes use a little logic. It's not unreasonable to assume, for example, that Cale learned the Drej language. Strict adherence to science isn't always there, but in Sci-Fi, that's impossible to avoid. The only complaint that I have with Titan is the soundtrack; it's mostly full of annoyingly anti-melodic hard rock/metal, though the lyrics (if you listen to them) set the mood quite accurately. The only song that I've come to like is "Over my Head" by Lit.

Ignore the critics; like all of Don Bluth's work, this is easily better than most Disney or Anime movies, and stands as an example of what American animation can and should be.

Ok, so the film bombed, and killed ANY chance to see another spectacular film like this from Fox Studios ever again. I hope it will get much more attention on DVD then it did in theatres. Hopefully it will also have alot of fun and cool features for the fans.

This movie shows that Disney isn't the only ones with animation talent. But unlike Disney Fox isn't afraid to market to an older audience. The characters are all very cool, with an original plot to boot! Some neat plot twists along the way, and VERY VERY VERY cool animation mixed BEAUTIFULLY with the best special effects you'll ever see in an animated film. This movie wasn't predictable, and kept me guessin HOW it was gonna all end. The ending is a stretch of the imagination. I did notice someone mutter how "impossible" it was. But this is science fiction! who cares! My only problem is that it ended too quickly, I would've enjoyed it even more had it been 2 hrs. The voice talents are great, but at times unrecognizable (I didn't know John Leguizamo was in it till I saw the credits.) I also wanna mention the AWESOME music! Its all rock and you'll be moshing in your seat as it keeps the movie rolling along smoothly.

My favorite scene is when Matt Damons character is flying the ship along with the wake angels. That was pure eye candy, and I can't wait to see this movie again on video! I'll be first in line to get it on DVD! Way to go FOX! Too bad this movie will be the last of it's kind.

Although this movies street date is Nov. 7, I got it yesterday(Nov. 1)....let's just say a local store screwed up. Anyways, I saw this movie in the theatres and I have to say I was rather impressed. I've always been a fan of animated movies (Disney, WB, whatever)but this broke some new ground. This certainly isn't a Disney flick. Titan compares better to something like Heavy Metal 2000 (although not as gory and minus the nudity) and also borrows from Star Wars, Star Trek, and other sci-fi hits. It has some very mature themes and that's really why it got my attention. The video transfer of this disc is decent. It's not the best but it's certainly not the worst. Because this is a sci-fi movie and takes place in outer-space there is a lot of black on the screen at all times, leading to a few problems. In some scenes, the black is a little washed out looking. Also, the colors in some of the scenes that take place inside the ships seem too "bleed" into each other, but that's only in a couple, not all. Other than these few, minor, problems, it's a wonderfully bright and (for lack of a better word) pretty transfer. The audio is presented in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 formats, and I was surprised to find that I didn't really have a preference between them. The Dolby track is very natural sounding, with good directional audio and panning and very nice creation of atmosphere - listenOther than that it's alright to the battle in the ice field (chapter 16) to see what I mean. Dialogue is nicely clear and there's good low frequency in the mix. The DTS track sounds a little more natural, with slightly greater clarity and a more unified soundfield from channel to channel... but I found bass to be somewhat lacking. That's not to say that the tracks are bad, because they're not - in fact, both are very good. But there was no clear winner in my mind when comparing the two. This DVD disc also contians a variety of extras, including an extensive(and interesting) commentary track. It also has the making of feature, 2 trailers and 3 TV-spots, Lit's "Over My Head" music video, and others. It also has THX's optimode since this is a THX certified disc. All in all, if your a sci-fi fan, an animation fan(like myself) or a little of both, this movie is is well worth you time.

Recentley I had the pleasure of viewing what I believe to be the best animated film in quite awhile. Titan A.E. is a marville in its animation, storyline, and use of twists, turns, and humor. This is the kind of movie that makes you lean back in you seat and smile. There are some magical movies out there that give someone goosebumps. This is one of them. A spectacular adventure about a boy who gets seperated from his father as an alien species attacks the earth. The boy grows up but looses all pride in the human race. Tword the end of the movie he realizes why his father did what he had to do, and what he now has to do. You will not soon forget this film.

I went to see "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" the second day it came out,(and boy was I dissapointed) during the previews I saw a small teaser trailer for this film with Cale speaking while the Titan escapes the Earth's destruction. I expected that Titan A.E. would be an all-CG film ala "Antz" or "Toy Story" so I was curious. Later on I discovered that it would be a hand drawn animated film combined with CG animation and effects. I grew even more curious, but I was a serious anime fan, and after seeing great stuff like "Akira," "Bubblegum Crisis" and "Ghost in the Shell" I was convinced that I would never see anything the least bit close of quality come out of the U.S., I was in for a huge surprise. Titan A.E.(in which I went to see the first day of it's release) turned out to be an awesome experience that was just as exciting as any anime I've seen. First of all the animation was simply incredible, the characters were the normal, well-drawn Don Bluth character designs which were good, but the real star was the CG effects and animation that blended with the hand-drawn animation even BETTER than the anime,"Blue Submarine No. 6" did. Plus, it was nothing like anything I've seen out of an American animated movie. No comic sidekicks(which is symbolized in one early scene in a comically violent scene) intense kick-ass music that perfectly complements the tense action and DOESN'T degenerate into a dumb musical. And a number of awesome, visually spectacular action scenes. From the fast- paced chase scene involving spherical hydrogen trees to the final chase at the Ice Rings of Tegrin(Cale's chase with the Wake Angels was an awe-inspiring moment), Titan A.E. is a far cry from anything that Disney has put out. But cynical and angry critics and moviegoers buried Titan A.E. and just saw it as a "cartoon." Which is a real tragedy, cause Titan A.E. deserves a lot more recognition than it's getting. Overall, I really think people should appreciate this film for what it's trying to be, a mature animated film that is really targeting teenagers and tries to avoid the "Disney" syndrome. Titan A.E. isn't really a movie for children, and it is violent and has content that reaches the PG-13 rating. But overall, I can't wait for this wonderful movie to come out on DVD, and I hope that Fox puts plenty of efort into it and provides it with lots of extras and if you just leave your cynicism at the door you will discover an awesome film. Titan A.E. is one of the best (and underated) films of the year. That's even better than Disney's "Dinosaur". American Animation would take a turn for the better if there were more films such as this(and "The Iron Giant" which suffered the same fate.)

As I tend to do in reviews, I made a claim above that seems to be over the top. However, this is one of those cases where it does ring true. Before I get to my analysis, note that this is not a kid's movie. In the U.S., animated movies are perceived as being mere child's entertainment (as opposed to the sentiment in Asia). This is one of the few animated movies that breaks that mold and offers an adult plot (violence, intelligent dialogue).

First of all, notice that this movie was made way before Disney's craptacular Treasure Planet. This was the movie that really showcased the seemless combination of computer graphics and regular animation in it's characters and environments. The movie's visuals hold up to today's standards even, in a world where both computer and animation visuals continue to skyrocket in quality.

Many tend to take points away from this movie in the plot department and even resort to calling it cheesy. Sure, you've seen SOME elements of the plot before, but much of it is original enough. But more than that, the movie has a heart. Thanks to the terrific voice-acting of Drew Barrymore, Matt Damon, and Bill Pullman in particular, the characters' feelings come across particularly well- I've seen the movie atleast 5-6 times, and the voice acting is one of the many reasons that I never tire of it.

Finally, the movie SOUNDS really good as well. The music for each scene fits well, even if it isn't "music of the future". The orchestral also adds to the majesty of some of the more contemplative scenes.

So, if you can stand animation at all and like a good futuristic story, then you owe it to yourself to buy this one. It can be found really cheap in the bargain bin- not because it's bad, but because here in the U.S., animation simply isn't appreciated.

Ok, after walking out of the theater, this movie was on the top of my DVD list. I loved it after watching it the first time and it was even better the second time. Different people watch movies for different reasons, but I think this one does a good job to try and make it interesting for a larger crowd. It's got an interesting storyline, clever jokes, and great action.

I personally love the effects and sound. For anyone with a decent sound system, this DVD is a MUST-own. Whenever I go into an electronics store, I expect to find Titan A.E. being shown as a demo because it would be perfect to show of the digital 5.1 channel sound. You will not be dissappointed if sound and effects are your thing.

Titan AE, the greatest insult to the world of art was that it bombed at the box office and secured that fox will never make an animated film for years and don bluth will have a ring around his name in hollywood.

But why is this? i don't know, this film was awesome, an instant classic. Many people talk about iots refference to other films, this film was written by, among others, joss whedon (creator of buffy) and john august (writer of GO), any referrence, like the many there are, are VERY deloiberate. The film symbolisies the future of sci-fi, animaiton, as well as paying tribute to the sci-fi genre as a whole. Other refereences being classic pieces of cinema such as the Lady from Shanghai hall of mirrors scene given an amazing new twist of style.

The animation is wonderful, aweosme, why? finally there is an animated camera here. It feels like a real film, the 'camera' pans around the characters making them feel part of this universe. The characters also, Don Bluth has stood firm and not succombed to the disney style of aniamtion, or the new dreamworks style, both of which are infancy crowd pleasers. This is a mtaure, almost *)s retro look. The soundtrack is also reminiscent of the 80s, a time of rebelllion, a new age, the 80s were actually a whole let better than the 90s.

The short revbiew would be that titan ae is a mature animated film from don bluth with a sci-fi setting and small slice of stylised manga from across the globe. See, the film, and i defy you to not enjoy it, the voice talent is brilliant, non stereotypical, realistic, it may sound odd in reference to aniamtion, and sci-fi, but it feels more 'real' than your average american animated offering.

Buy it, watch it, love it. It was a great injustice that a great tribute and benchmark in modern animation was greated by such bad press and poor box office pulling. Welcome to thefuture, i leave you with the immortal words of Cayle, "All i ask is that they kill my food before they serve it".

A cool experiment, blending traditionally drawn animation w/ the latest & greatest CGI. Only problem is that the drawn stuff looks pretty bland in comparison at times. The CGI is incredible - maybe more believable than in other movies because one can accept a lot more, knowing that it's intended to be animated, rather than pose as reality. It's a fun & harmless (with some violence that may be tough for the youngest viewers - definitely PG13) story; nothing too complicated & easy to follow. The voices, on the whole, were adequate with the exception of Leguizamo, who's character & voice virtually made the show. Give it a shot!