REVIEW: Abominable

Courtesy of Universal

DreamWorks Animation has long been the Pepsi to Pixar’s Coca-Cola. Sure, the studio is moderately successful thanks to the smash hit Trolls and the blockbuster Shrek franchise (though even that had plenty of diminishing returns). But it’s almost certainly going to spend the foreseeable future fighting to maintain second or third place.

The big exception to DreamWorks’ mediocre-to-pretty good track record is the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy. That’s because the ongoing narrative of Hiccup and Toothless utilizes complex characters and real stakes to bolster the relatively simple narratives, as opposed to relying on the usual formula of sight gags and pop culture references. Still, those three films didn’t exactly set the box office on fire.

DreamWorks’ latest effort – along with co-producer Pearl Studios – is much closer to that level of quality, although it doesn’t quite reach those dizzying heights. Abominable tells the story of Yi (Chloe Bennet), a teenage girl who is still grieving the recent death of her father and, as a result, has grown distant from her mother and grandmother.

She spends most of her time doing odd jobs around the city to raise money for a cross-country trip she planned to take with her dad, but that changes when she discovers a young Yeti hiding on the roof of her apartment building. After gaining his trust, she learns that he was taken from his home and held captive by a wealthy businessman (Eddie Izzard) and a zoologist (Sarah Paulson) intent on keeping him on display for the rest of his life.

Yi, along with her cousins Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Peng (Albert Tsai), decide to take their new friend – who she names Everest – back to the mountain he’s named after so he can reunite with his family. They’ll have to be careful along the way, however, since they’re being followed by a team with far more resources.

Abominable won’t give Pixar any serious competition, but it’s a heartwarming tale that packs a surprisingly emotional wallop after a sluggish start. It’s far better than the lackluster trailer would suggest, further evidence of DreamWorks’ inexplicable marketing strategy. Why sell this as a direct-to-video level kid’s film when it’s actually a moving tale of loss, healing and the powerful realization that people can change – even after a lifetime of selfish decisions?

The film also won’t win any points for originality or subtlety. In addition to the aforementioned How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, the plot owes a big debt to E.T., with some Lilo and Stitch thrown in. The unabashed combo of influences is surprisingly effective despite the obvious parallels. (A more cynical person might use the term “rip-off.”)

Let’s be honest: you know what kind of movie you’re getting when it uses Coldplay’s “Fix You” to make the audience cry. Does it work? Yes. Is it kind of cheating? Definitely. But try telling that to my eight-year-old daughter, who watched me brush away tears at a critical moment, thinking I’d lost my mind. What can I say? I’m a pushover.

The unique animation style of Abominable also contributes to its effectiveness. At first, the characters and buildings are simplistic and blocky. That doesn’t really go away when it comes to the humans, but the landscapes and animals evolve once the characters make it out of the city, becoming more gorgeous as the movie progresses.

When it comes to performances, Izzard is the big standout. He’s fantastic as a seemingly clichéd villain who proves more complex than he initially appears, with a penchant for offbeat line deliveries that make even boring exposition scenes funny and weird.

There’s also some stunt casting going on. If the name of the actor who voices Jin sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because his grandfather, Tenzing Norgay, is an interesting part of history. He was one of the first two men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, back in 1953. There’s no way that bit of trivia is a coincidence.

I’ll admit I wasn’t exactly bubbling with excitement to see Abominable (again, I blame the terrible marketing), but after the first 20 minutes I was glad I gave it a shot. The film ends up being much more than the sum of its parts. It’s a great option for families who haven’t had many choices at the multiplex now that kids are in school again. (Maybe since The Lion King back in July?)

I’m not too confident about its chances at the box office, but I see this one picking up steam when it hits Blu-ray, DVD and VOD in a few months. Don’t wait until then – it’s definitely worth seeing on the big screen, perfect for a weekend matinee.

Abominable is rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.

Grade: B