Stunning effects but has quite a lousy story.

In all honesty after seeing the trailer quite a few times in the cinema, I realised that this perhaps doesn't look the most ingenious film you will ever see but I did notice that there perhaps might be something special about this film. I never got chance to see in 3D but when I eventually watched it (going into this film for just entertainment, nothing else), I did enjoy it but there were quite a few of very clear flaws. For example, the film lacked believability. There wasn't very much that expressed any feelings towards the audience where they might be stuck to the screen from beginning to the end, although the 3D experience may help that. Also, it would have been an epic build-up to the final battle but that is unfortunately what we didn't get.


I am going to confess that I never saw Legend Of The Guardians in 3D and after watching it, I regret it now because there were many moments where objects within the screen would pop out. The visual effects and art direction was just stunning as predicted and I thought the music was brilliant as well. This is perhaps a film that I would call an animated war film but just involves animals and I have to admit that because of that, it is a film more for adult eyes than for kids. It had its fantastic effects but lacked a soul in the story where the audience would feel effected by it.


Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped by owls of St. Aggie's, ostensibly an orphanage, where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga'Hoole, to assist its noble, wise owls who fight the army being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie's. The film is based on the first three books in the series.


The cast is quite good in this film. I was impressed with how precise they got the voice acting with the moments of the animated characters. I did think that the owls looked real especially on the close-up shots despite having the owl helmets on their heads. Jim Sturgess voices Soren the Barn Owl who is the main character in the film. He is an owl who dreamed to be a Guardian. He was captured by the Pure Ones, along with Kludd. He eventually warns the Guardians of Ga'Hoole of the Pure Ones' plans and helps to defeat them in battle, Geoffrey Rush voices as Ezylryb the Whiskered Screech Owl one of the Guardians and Weathering and Collier for the Guardians became Soren's teacher (also known as Lyze of Kiel), Helen Mirren voices Nyra the Barn Owl. A secondary antagonist. Nyra is the queen of the Pure Ones and Metalbeak's mate, David Wenham who previously appeared in Zack Snyder's 300 in 2007 voiced Digger the Burrowing Owl. An owl who loves digging and tracking. He is friends with Soren, Gylfie and Twlight. Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving and Abbie Cornish had other voice roles in the film also.


This was made by Village Roadshow Pictures who were also the makers of Happy Feet in 2006 and after watching Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga'Hoole, I can see how typical it is that the studio would think of a story like this. Like the characters featuring animals with great effects, art direction and music but weak regarding story. Had moments in the script where it feels too modern. In a lot of ways, I am rather surprised at Zack Snyder and that he chose to direct this film! I think it was mostly because he hasn't done an animated film before and, quite frankly, I don't really want to see him do another one after this. I mean, it wasn't a bad film but it could have been a lot better. It was like a mixed combination of 300 (which is also Zack Snyder's film) and Beowulf. Admittedly, Zack knows how to make a dark film with dark settings and great effects but he lacks talent in plot, direction and script (if he writes his own stories). You can really easily spot this! As far as the script is concerned, I thought it was mostly soppy because it seemed too modern and the lines that the screenwriters come up with are just lousy.


Overall, Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga'Hoole is a film that I neither loved nor hated. As I said, the effects were just outstanding but the story was pretty weak and was rather poorly written. Zack Snyder, do not go back to animation again! Just stick with the dark graphic films when you are at your best. I do wish I had seen the film in 3D at the cinema but my liking for it probably would have stayed the same if I did see it in that experience. I don't really want to see any more film adaptations of anymore of the Guardians Of Ga'Hoole books, sorry.