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"Clash
of the 'Titan'"
by Scott Mantz
"Titan A. E."
Voices of Matt Damon,
Drew Barrymore
Directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman
On Earth, humans
may be the dominant species, but as far as the rest of the universe
is concerned, they're either at the bottom of the food chain, or
they're insects that should be exterminated. At least, that's what
Hollywood thinks--too many times, in fact. For a genre that should
be able to define itself for constantly being able to come up with
new ideas, it's a pity that sci fi has degenerated into a medium
that's too content with recycling ideas from its own glorious past.
Case in point is the animated and computer-generated "Titan A. E.,"
which takes great pride in ripping off some of the best sci fi films
over the past 25 years. It still comes across as a fun and entertaining
thrill ride, but that's all it is.
It is the dawn
of the 31st century, and man has finally reached out beyond the
farthest star. Unfortunately, they brought something evil back with
them--the menacing Drejs, who are on a mission to exterminate mankind.
They destroy the Earth in a matter of seconds, scattering what's
left of the human race throughout the galaxy. Mankind's only hope
lies in Cale (Matt Damon), a reluctant salvage worker who's father
created a now-legendary spacecraft that holds the key to the future--the
magnificent Titan. Cale must find the Titan if the human race is
going to survive, but the evil Drejs will stop at nothing to keep
that from happening.
Question. What
do "Independence Day," "Heavy Metal," "Star Wars," "Battlestar Galactica,"
"Superman," "Waterworld," and "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
all have in common? Answer. They are all movies that were ripped
off by "Titan A. E." Like most recent sci fi films to come out of
the Hollywood hit machine, "Titan" pays homage (which is merely
a respectful way of saying "ripped off") to more sci fi films than
any other movie in recent memory (save for the dreaded "Battlefield
Earth.") The Drejs look like they could have been close cousins
to the aliens from "Independence Day" and "The Abyss." As for why
they felt they just had to destroy the human race, they must have
consulted with the Cylons from "Battlestar Galactica" (couldn't
they come up with a better excuse than "they were afraid of what
the humans might become?"). I'd stop there, but there's definitely
no question that the climactic battle scene--a chase through an
icy nebula--was "inspired" by the finale from "Star Trek II: The
Wrath of Khan."
The similarities
to other films become so obvious that it's more of a distraction
than an inspiration. It clashes with what you're watching and transports
(sorry!) you into the other films where they were done much better.
Our hero, Cale, is nothing more than a carbon copy of Luke Skywalker,
but with more of an attitude. He (fortunately) doesn't whine as
much, but the loss of his father, not to mention his entire planet,
has clearly left enough of a mark on him to give him something to
prove. He may need some initial coaxing, thanks to a Han Solo-wannabe
named Korso, but then he's eager to help, especially when Akima,
a down-and-dirty Princess Leia, comes along for the ride. All we
need now is a couple of droids, and the wait for "Star Wars: Episode
II" would be over.
The combination
of classic animation with computer generated effects provides for
some exhilarating moments, but otherwise the two techniques don't
blend well together. While the battle scenes provide for some exciting
edge-of-your-seat thrills, the close-ups of the characters reveal
just how second-rate the cel animation really is. Considering the
violent nature of the story, some brief nudity from our hero, and
a rocking soundtrack to underscore the adventure, it's obvious that
the film is going for a more "Heavy Metal"-like vibe, aimed directly
at the late-teen audience that Disney animated projects tend to
overlook.
Matt Damon provides
the voice of Cale, giving him the strength and confidence to offset
his bitterness, while Bill Pullman and Drew Barrymore do justice
to the characters of Korso and Akima respectively. While the film
is definitely targeted for older kids, there is an attempt to add
some cuter Disney-type characters for the tykes who may wander in.
Nathan Lane gives a fun, but sleazy, edge to sidekick Preed, and
John Leguizamo provides for some comic relief as the trusty techno-geek,
Gune.
Legendary animator
Don Bluth ("All Dogs Go to Heaven") shows some signs of maturity,
connecting to an audience older than what he's used to, while Fox
Animation proves that it can compete with the big guns over at the
Mouse House (that's Disney, folks). Despite so many similarities
to other films, "Titan A. E." holds its own as a fun cinematic achievement
(I hate to use the words "roller-coaster ride," but that's exactly
what it is.) If you're looking for a good reason to kick back and
take a fun galaxy quest, then this trek should suffice on titan-ic
proportions.
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