Rating: 
Summary: As cute as 'The Pirates of Penzance' , quite spectacular!
Review: This film was based on John Logan's thesis, yet it was similar in many instances to the Terry Brooks' trilogy, Voyage of Jerle Shannara, which was apparent in the TREASURE PLANET animated movie. So close to the misadventures of the Brooks' characters and their travails, the writer must have read and enjoyed the books as much as I did.
In the closing credits, a lot of 'artistic supervisors' made contributions; this was a work of art in itself. The noble prince and his friend of long ago even looked alike, though they had gone in opposite directions as adults. The sacred treasure with its magical glow was called the Book of Peace. The brown-eyed goddess of discord framed Sinbad by purveying it to her land of chaos to secure his pursuit; actually, he was expected to escape to Figi. This artistic rendering is so modern, yet some characters were right out of the Bible. Even the future kind had Samson locks of hair. Sinbad's appearance brought to my mind my son Zach as a young man -- so handsome in a classical way and yet a modern rouge. As with all men, Sinbad looks better fully dressed. Running away -- we're "retiring" was the motto of Sinbad until the royal stowaway changed his mind. "Who's bad?" Sinbad! In his bemused state as they navigated the rough terrain to the music of singing 'sirens.' However, the crew soon returned to reality, as they were in effect saved by a woman. Spike was the perfect pirate dog. They survived dire weather changes from severe storms to snow and ice. The mythical creatures were fantastic, especially the snow bird with the huge blue wings. As Sinbad and his lady love made a bumpy descent down icy slopes on a shield (used as a sled), it was similar to riding the local transit around the curves and through all the potholes -- quite a task. The stars in the night sky over the sea as they returned were a feast to weary eyes. At one point, the crew revealed that they make bets on everything -- even that the earth is flat! Shades of 1492. It was a close call as they made their escape from the demented goddess out to cause chaos in their world. He stated that he did his best, but it wasn't enough. He was reminded that he had been ready to give his life for his princely friend. A woman's love and belief made all the difference between good and evil. Sinbad is a hero for the first time in his life, and beauty returns to the earth as he arrives in the nick of time to save the neck of the prince. He almost lost his, but all's well that ends well. The princess is told to "follow your heart" and sets out to sail halfway around the world on a very long, dangerous voyage with the sweetheart Sinbad. As the goddess would say: "ta." Good show.
Rating:
Summary: Swashbuckling Fun
Review: Ok, first thing's first. The goddess Eris, played by Michelle Phfifer, is not the babe that she is drawn as. In Greek mythology, she was ugly; why do you think she was so angry all of the time? Anyway, on to the review. I think that the animation deserves to be mentioned first because it was so well-done. The sea monsters, the landscapes, and the swordfights were so amazing that there were times that I in such awe that I started to wonder how they pulled these things off. The story is about how Sinbad (Brad Pitt), a master thief, and his friend Proteus (Joseph Finnes), a prince, have just returned to their home with the Book of Peace, the artifact that has been protecting the city for a millenium. However, Eris, the goddess of discord, tried to strike a deal with Sinbad to steal the book for her. He had every intention of doing it until he met Proteus's fiance, Marina (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who is so beautiful, even though she's animated. So Eris steals the book herself while in disguise as Sinbad. Before being put to death, Proteus requests that he go in Sinbad's place as long as he is given a chance to retrieve the book. Sinbad, Marina, and his crew set sail for Tartarus, or the underworld (another problem: Eris claims that it is her realm, where in actuality, it is the home of Hades) in order to get the book back. Despite being a little sappy at times, this is a good movie, for animation.
Rating: 
Summary: Nicely Done!
Review: Went to see the film with my 6 and 8 year olds. I know that we all enjoyed the action filled scenes. It also offers a good lesson in friendship and keeping your word. Good use of humor throughout. Some suspensful scenes that lead nicely to a conclusion. I would highly recommend this movie all ages.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely summer fun
Review: I was pleasantly surprised how fun it was. Non-stop action scenes and some very neat visual effects. It was a breath of fresh air compared to all the predictable shoot em up martial arts kickboxing movies out right now.
Rating: 
Summary: Does not hit the mark
Review: As the mother of two small children, I see a LOT of animated films. I actually enjoy many of the recent ones, as they include elements that appeal to adults, too (Bug's Life, etc). As a computer engineer, my husband is a raving lunatic for CGI. So my family went to see this movie on the big screen with high expectations. We were less than wowed. Why? Well, the CGI elemnts are magnificent and the story is very good. It just seems that the detail animation and characterizations regarding the humans are seriously lacking. VERY one-dimensional, and this stands out in stark contrast to the beautiful scenery and action work. F.L.A.T. Also, the voices are just....not there. I am a big Brad Pitt fan. I think he is a very solid actor and I enjoy most of his movies. But his voice with the cardboard Sinbad is lacking, not resonant and without inflection and warmth. Zeta-Jones...well, she is so lukewarm anyway. Even Feinnes' usually rich voice was somehow lost. My children (3 and 4 years) were somewhat engaged for the most part. But my husband and I (and the kids) agreed, we were wishing for the superior Road To El Dorado instead of this milquetoast voyage through the seven seas. B for some of the beautiful and exciting scenes and effects. D for the lame characterizations.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, exciting family fun film!
Review: Because our family loved "Spirit" and "Shrek", we were delighted to find another Dreamworks film coming our way. "Sinbad" is exciting without being frightening and funny without being formulaic. The animation is terrific, and the voice-casting was dead-on. My husband was especially pleased with the strong female characters--Marina is feminine as well as heroic, and the undeniably evil godess Eris does keep her promises. We really enjoyed this film and plan to see it again soon.
Rating:
Summary: Top-Notch Family Entertainment
Review: The name of Sinbad is as well known as the likes of Jason and the Argonauts, The Oddessy, and the Arabian Nights when in comes to heroic sea voyages and trickster thieves, and he has been made into several movies and television shows (most of which weren't particularly good). Gradually the name of Sinbad became stale, unfortunate for one of the few Persian/Middle Eastern heroes known to modern Western civilisation. But now Dreamworks pictures reinvents and breathes new life into the legend with "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" in a fresh new story and amazing animation. Sinbad the sailor, captain and thief is about to begin his last robbery: steal the Book of Peace and retire to Fiji, but during the mission two vital things stop him. One is a run-in with his old best friend Prince Proteus, who demands that the book (on its way to his kingdom Syracuse) be left in his charge, the other is an attack from a vicious sea serpent sent from the goddess of chaos, Eris, who is also after the book. By saving Sinbad's life, Eris cuts him a deal: Sinbad must steal the book, bringing chaos to the seven seas, and she will reward him with plenty of riches. But Sinbad's having second thoughts, especially when he is introduced to Proteus' beautiful fiancee, the Ambassador Marina. So Eris takes things into her own hands, stealing the book and framing Sinbad. Now sentenced to death, Sinbad is horrified when Proteus steps up to take his place under the executioner's axe if Sinbad cannot return the Book of Peace within ten days. Grappling with his own desire to simply make a dash to Fiji, Sinbad reluctantly heads off, with an unwelcome stowaway aboard - Marina, who's there to make sure the job is done. Needless to say, conflict (and a certain degree of flirtation) begins between the two. It is the voyage itself that is the centrepiece of the movie: the ship travels under glorious sunsets, night skies full of stars, through ghostly shipwrecks where watery Sirens sing their luring songs, across an island that is more than what it seems, through ancient ruins encapsulated in ice and snow, and finally to the edge of the world, and Tartarus that lies beyond: a place where forever moving sands rise up and sink down to reveal the structures hidden beneath... All scenes are exquisitely rendered, and computer effects meld perfectly with hand-drawn figures. The artistry itself is reason enough to go and see. Voice talents are well-cast, with Brad Pitt as Sinbad and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Marina leading the charge as our two main heroes. The animation is quite similar to previous Dreamworks productions such as "The Road to El Dorado" and "The Prince of Eygpt", so it seems only fitting that two voice talents from the latter should be involved here - Joseph Fiennes as Proteus, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Eris. It is this goddess of Discord that really steals the show, and the animation done to create her is incredible - she curls and twines around in the air, she dissipates and reforms from black smoke, and Michelle Pfeiffer brings such a cat-like, almost purring sound to her voice that she is amazing to watch. It's always interesting to see how figures like the gods are brought to life in movies, and "Sinbad" imagined and created her perfectly. Though the story is predominantly centred around Syracuse and the main nemesis is a Greek goddess, the melding all several old cultures actually didn't bother me that much - the movie successfully combines Grecian, Oriental, and Middle Eastern components into the look and feel of the movie, which I suppose in those days of sailing and trade, was not such an extrodinary thing. The creators have made a widespread, colourful tapestry of ancient cities and different ethnic flavours, and it works well. The action sequences are energetic and fast, with camera angles moving at 360 degrees in order to push the viewer into the action, whether it be swordfighting, swinging from the rigging of the ship or facing off yet another terrifying monster. Its pefectly kid-friendly, with a couple of adult jokes that should be way over their heads (pickle and eggs, anyone?) but with enough action and excitement to keep them seated throughout the running time. The final romance was a little abrupt, and I disliked the modern day language of some parts ("I'm bad. *Sin*bad." and "You're cute. But not that cute.") but those would be my only real complaints. Basically, this is a great family movie that all should enjoy whether child or adult.
Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise
Review: I went to see Sinbad with low expections, having read the less than glowing national reviews, however, I must admit that this film was a pleasant surprise. The animation and story were very good, and the story never gets boring. And you actually find yourself interested in the film's characters, something lacking from many animated films. I recommend Sinbad to anyone who enjoys this type of movie.
Rating: 
Summary: A misfire adventure for a beloved character
Review: Off to pull their one last job before retiring to Fiji, Sinbad and his crew have their eyes set on an ancient relic called the Book of Peace. Everything is going according to plan until he discovers that the person escorting the item is none other than his childhood friend Proteus, prince and heir to the city of Syracuse. Further complicating the situation is the appearance of a sea monster, suffice to say that the rogue hero barely escapes unscathed as well as empty handed. Alas, all is not lost because he did happen to meet Eris, the goddess of discord, and in exchange for wealth, Sinbad agrees to steal the book for her. Unfortunately, before he could hold up his end of the bargain, Eris double-crosses him by framing him for the theft. Sentence to die for an act he did not committ, Proteus is the only person who believes him and vouches for him by taking his place. In order to save Proteus, Sinbad must retrieve the book from Tartarus within the allotted time frame. Right off the bat you can tell that this is not exactly Sinbad the Sailor from the Arabian Nights. Instead, screenwriter John Logan decided to put the legendary character into a Greek setting complete with a meddlesome deity, fantastical creatures, and a trip so frought with perils that reminded me a lot of Homer's Odyssey. The final result is sort of a mixed bag. It is as if someone had cut and pasted together snippets of adventures that seem interesting but do not really serve any kind of purpose, so the transition feels awkward instead of a smooth streamlined story. Despite my lack of love for the angular and squarish-faced character models, the animation in Sinbad is nevertheless impressive. The computer-generated monsters, backgrounds and environments paint a tapestry that is both rich in color and style. The movie does not fail to entertain its audiences visually. Another thing you will notice is the over abundance of jokes, whether it be sexual, barfing or otherwise. Having a sense of humor is often a good thing (depending on the subject matter of course), but too much of it can sometimes be detrimental. Personally, I felt that the amount of suggestive undertones was a bit too excessive for a supposedly family-oriented movie. Though I enjoyed the tension between Sinbad and Marina, their unlikely romance was something I could have done without. It was like an after thought, totally unnecessary and executed poorly; same goes for the inclusion of a cute pet sidekick. Voice acting on the whole is decent, but Brad Pitt failed to impress me in the lead role of Sinbad. I like Michelle Pfeiffer's playful and seductive Eris, Catherine Zeta-Jones' thrill seeking Marina is not half bad either, but she seem to sport an accent once in a while. Joseph Fiennes and Dennis Haysbert's monotone delivery of lines as Proteus and Kale is lackluster, which goes to show that big name actor does not always make a good voice actor. With Sharkslayer and Madagascar in the works for a 2004 and a 2005 release respectively, Dreamworks animation is here to stay, let us just hope that these future offerings will finally make them a worthy competition in a market dominated by Disney and Pixar. The bottom-line is if you are expecting something as imaginative as Spirited Away or as charming as Finding Nemo, you better look elsewhere because you will be disappointed. Otherwise, bring a child with you (a niece, nephew, cousin or whoever), since seeing them delighted will probably help you enjoy the movie more then it actually deserves. Sinbad is one adventure that sinks quickly and is best left at the docks.
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.
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