Rated: PG (for some action and mild, rude humour) & G in India
Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes Genre: Animated, Action, Adventure, Comedy
This is a comedy adventure in 3D & 2D which takes audiences on an epic 2,000-mile adventure from the streets of a Chinese city to the breathtaking Himalayan snowscapes!
Interestingly, the film is the 1st animated film with a central female character written & directed by a female filmmaker Jill Culton, formerly an animator & storyboard artist at Pixar, where she collaborated on Toy Story, Toy Story 2 & A Bug’s Life before helping to craft the story for Monster’s, Inc. As well, she spent several years at Sony Animation, where she directed their first animated feature film, Open Season! One she hit upon the idea of a Yeti Movie, she came up with an epic tale of a young woman who finds herself at an unimaginable crossroads.
When teenage Yi (Chloe Bennet) encounters a young Yeti (Joseph Izzo) on the roof of her apartment building, she & her friends, Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) & Peng (Albert Tsai), name him ‘Everest’ & embark on an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth.
But the trio of friends will have to stay one step ahead of Burnish (Eddie Izzard), a wealthy man intent on capturing a Yeti, and zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) to help Everest get home.
As the journey unfolds, Everest has to help Yi, Jin & Peng unlock inner bravery they didn’t know they had as they strive to return the mystical creature to the place where he belongs! Everest will help them discover where they truly belong too!
Like the way Brie Larson depicted the title role in Captain Marvel, Yi, the film’s female protagonist, spares no effort to re-unite Everest with its family & just like Captain Marvel exhibits bravery while braving tough storms when facing the conspiracy hatched by an affluent man as well as a Zoologist nursing a hidden agenda!
Though the theme facilitates the viewers to taste visual grandeur, the screenplay also touches upon the delicate subject of caring for nature; it also speaks about family values, that too, in a non-dramatic fashion!
The screenplay has been well conceived & crafted, further punctuated with winning elements that are catchy & colourful!
Arguably one of the most spectacular sequences in the film is the scene in which Everest’s magic allows Yi, Jin, Peng & the young Yeti to surf a wave of gorgeous canola flowers and escape from those with nefarious intentions.
One other scene is the one when our heroes, inch closer to the Himalayas Everest enacts his magic once again to allow them to soar above the land on billowy Koi fish comprised of clouds!
The film accurately highlights Chinese landscapes and culture, from the glistening buildings of the big city to the countryside, with beauty, artistry & precision.
An enjoyable fare meant not only for the kids but also for the grown-ups!
Voice Talents
Chloe Bennet – Yi
Albert Tsai – Peng
Tenzing Norgay Trainor – Jin
Joseph Izzo – Everest
Eddie Izzard – Burnish
Sarah Paulson – Dr. Zara
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R.S.Prakash
Film Historian, Journalist & Critic