Sinbad - Legend of the Seven Seas (Full Screen Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Well-cast crud
Review: "Sinbad-Legend of the Seven Seas" is a well cast and performed forgettable fantasy. While Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfieffer, Dennis Haysbert, and Catherine Zeta-Jones loan excellent talent to the movie, there's little for them to work with. Ultimately, it's a waste of talent of actors who seem natural for the roles.

Brad Pitt shines behind the microphone as Sinbad, the charming rogue, and Michelle Pfieffer also glows black as the evil Eris, goddess of discord. (Her hair is practically a character itself.)

But, the story is formulaic and predictable, and seems to be driven on just enough for the next high speed chase. And the animation seems to poorly mesh, and often seems to be stuck 10 years behind the current technology. (And is it my imagination, or does every single Dreamworks character seem the same?)

All in all, it's not bad, but there's a lot better out there.

Rating:
Summary: Marvelous effects can't salvage a waterlogged script!
Review: An exciting battle at sea with a monstrous "crab-octopus", an awesome excursion through siren-infested waters, and a rollicking (if overlong) encounter with a snow eagle are three of the major scenes involving the melding of traditional animation with CGI effects. These are marvelously executed and show the technicians' craft to the best of their abilities.

That said, the script isn't very thrilling, concerning a voyage to retrieve a valued book and restore Sinbad's credibility, as well as save his friend from execution.

Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Michelle Pfieffer do as best to be expected with the lines that they must deliver. And poor Dennis Haysbert gets to voice the stereotypical "bulging muscled black" crewman.

When I saw that character, I could only think of how often he appears in film from Michael Clarke Duncan in "Armageddon" to the "doctor" in Disney's animated "Atlantis, the Lost Continent" to Isaac Singleton in last year's hit "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Maybe this is more than a younger audience can detect, but, to an experienced filmgoer like myself, it's getting rather old.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fantastic!
Review: I had the good fortune to be invited to a premiere of this movie in New York, and it was FABULOUS! The audience was packed with people of all ages, and everyone had a great time. And how could they not? The movie has something for everyone! Fun, adventure, phenomenal graphic artistry, romance, humor, and a bouyant spirit! The characters are also brilliantly brought to life by the actors. I never would have thought of Brad Pitt as Sinbad, but he gives such a goregeous rough-voiced humor to this pirate that you can't help but love him. Catherine Zeta-Jones is perfect as the fiercely passionate Marina, Joseph Fiennes gives a heroic nobility to Prince Proteus, and Michelle Pheiffer is deliciously wicked as the goddess of chaos, Eris. The crew is also fantastically lovable and deserves high praise. Go see this film! You won't be disappointed! I can't wait to see it again!

Rating:
Summary: Action-packed, entertaining, witty and funny.
Review: This movie about one of the greatest all-time thieves has little to do with the original legends attributed to him told in the Arabian Nights, often even incorporating elements from other mythologies, but is fun-filled and very entertaining nonetheless.

The movie finds Sinbad (voiced by Brad Pitt) searching for riches and trying to steal The Book of Peace from his long time friend and prince of Syracuse, Proteus (voiced by Stephen Fiennes). While trying to take the book he encounters the Goddess of Chaos, Eris (voiced by Michelle Pfeiffer) who offers him all the riches of the world if he should steal the book for her. But when Sinbad is about to steal the book he encounters Proteus' fiancée Marina (voiced by Catherine Zeta-Jones) and desists of his efforts. Eris ends up stealing the book herself and frames Sinbad for the crime, who is then sentenced to die in ten days if the book isn't returned. Proteus who believes that Sinbad didn't steal the book, takes his place to allow for Sinbad to steal the book back from Eris. From here on the adventure begins.

The great special effects bring to life everything from menacing sea monsters, to ethereal mermaids to the ever-shifting realm of chaos known as Tartarus. The seamlessly incorporated hand-drawn animation is beautiful. The well-developed characters are deeper and wittier than most characters on the latest animated features and their dialogues and interactions are funny, emotional and well timed. The excellent musical score, one of the best for an animated feature, will leave you feeling like a swashbuckler even hours after the movie is over.

The main reasons this movie doesn't get five stars are: the repetition of some plot elements from other Dreamworks' animated stories (like Road to El Dorado) and the fact that this animated movie is not suitable for kids under thirteen for its treatment of certain topics like the main characters love relationship.

Overall, very good adventure and lots of fun.