Half term is over and we all survived! Experience has taught me over the years that holidays go smoothly if enough is on offer for the children to do, so I’d planned a few trips dotted between the times left for them to entertain themselves.

Now all three of my foster children love going to the cinema (inspite of one of them being profoundly deaf) so off we went to see Disney’s latest offering.

Often I’ve heard so much about Disney films before I go to see them that I know what to expect but this time was different I didn’t know any one that had already seen it and I’d read nothing either. I looked specially here on Dooyoo to see what others had thought before I parted with the ticket money, but there was nothing. Even as I’m writing this the category isn’t there, I hope it soon will be or I’m wasting my time!

So what did I make of Atlantis…The Lost Empire and would I recommend it to other Dooyooers?

Well I took three children aged between 5 and 10 and they all loved it, although I’m none to sure that the youngest one had much of a clue about the plot! It is extremely visual and in parts quite beautiful and certainly it’s action packed. I will give a brief outline of the story although I do have a confession to make a bit later on!

We begin with our hero, Milo Thatch (voice by Michael J Fox) as he works away at a thankless job keeping a large boiler going in a museum but dreaming of so much more. He shares the dream his late grandfather had always had, to discover the lost empire of Atlantis. He tries in vain to get enthusiasm and financial baking from the museum bosses.

He is suddenly whisked away and introduced to an old friend of his grandfather who not only wishes to support the venture but has set the whole thing up. He also has in his possession the legendary and vital Shepherd’s journal, now was that Milo’s lucky day or what?
I’ll introduce you to some of the people on the team. Firstly there is the commander, Lyle T Rourke (voice by James Garner) assisted by Helga Sinclair (voice by Claudia Christian). The demolition expert is Vincenzo Santorini (voice by Don Novello) and the somewhat unusual tunnelling expert is Gaetan Moliere none affectionately as ‘the mole’ (voice by Corey Burton).

The under water vessel is set and they are off, into the dark unknown world under the sea. They are captured by a large robotic squid and (how lucky is that boy?) taken to Atlantis. When they arrive they find Atlantis it is not uninhabited as they expected, mind you any Disney film watcher could have guessed that already!

They meet King Kashekim Nedakh (voice Leonard Nimoy) and his beautiful daughter (voice Cree Summer) and then the story really gets going.

It was know than Atlantis had some peculiar power source and I will only go so far as to say that not all of the explores are there for the purest of reasons! I don’t want to spoil the film by telling you who turns out to be the villains, take the kids and find out for yourself. I will leave you to discover if the goodies or the baddies win and who will provide the now almost compulsory love interest!

The quality of the animation is up to the usual high Disney standard and they do the ‘space ship’ type-fighting scene very well. Unlike many Disney films it is not at all musical, a downer as far as I’m concerned, as I love the Disney songs.

Atlantis was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
Screenwriter Tab Murphy

Back to the question of recommendation, yes if you have children I would definitely take them. I don’t think it is going to be a Disney classic that people will go to without children unlike for example Toy Story. The children I took certainly had a good time and came out full of enthusiasm for it.

Oh yes I promised a confessi
on, well near the beginning I may have missed a bit as I did find my eyes were a little heavy! It wasn’t the fault of the film simply comfy seats and nearing the end of a busy week. If I missed any it was very little and not, thank goodness enough to make me lose the plot!

(I asked for this topic to be added some while ago, under the heading of films now showing. Personally I feel to put it under sci-fi is stretching the imagination. Either under new films or in the long run kids movies would seem correct to me, but I had this op written waiting so I thought I’d post here and see what happens.)

Just one point to add before I go. Don’t go looking for Patrick Duffy alias Bobby Ewing alias The Man From Atlantis, he is no where to be found!!!