Abominable (G)
Three stars
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It's not uncommon for movies with very similar central ideas to be released close together seem to come in twos. It could be coincidence, jumping on the bandwagon or one of filmdom's mysteries. Such doublings include films about Truman Capote, body swapping, and a cop and his dog.
Now, we've had three animated films in about a year focusing a yeti/Bigfoot: Smallfoot, Missing Link and now this one. Comparisons may be odious, but they're inevitable in this case. So how does Abominable (with its potentially self-sabotaging title) stack up against its predecessors?
Answer: quite well, despite a certain feeling of overfamiliarity.
This is the first production between Dreamworks Animation in Hollywood and the Chinese Pearl Studio and it's obviously been crafted to appeal to both the Anglophone and Asian markets. Jill Culton, who's worked in animation with Pixar, Sony and now Dreamworks, has written and directed (with co-director Todd Wilderman) a movie that should have wide appeal, blending heart, gentle humour, spectacle and adventure to good effect.
Teenager Yi (voiced by Chloe Bennet) lives with her widowed mother and grandmother in a Shanghai apartment. She busies herself with odd jobs to make money, as she's saving up for a trip around China she was going to take with her father. His death has affected her deeply: she isolates herself from family and friends.
One night on the roof of her building Yi makes a startling discovery: a young Yeti (voiced by Joseph Izzo). He's injured and she gains his trust by dressing the wound and names him Everest (after they see a billboard and, despite the lack of a common language, she ascertains it is his home).
She also discovers he's on the run. Wealthy rare animal collector and former explorer Mr Burnish (Eddie Izzard) wants to recapture Everest both for his collection and to prove the Yeti is real. Burnish is assisted by zoologist Dr Zara (Sarah Paulson) who has her own motives.
Yi decides to go a trip immediately, to make sure Everest gets home to his family in the Himalayas. She's accompanied by eager young neighbour Peng (Albert Tsai) and his more reluctant older cousin Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor), a shallow teenager who is obsessed with his mobile phone.
They're chased by Burnish and Zara and their thugs but Everest is a magical creature and is able to manipulate nature (another nitpick: his powers seem to conveniently appear when and how they're needed).
One of the more novels aspect of the English-language film is its setting in present-day China, and the animation depicting the various locations, including busy Shanghai, beautiful mountain vistas and a desert - is often spectacular.
But looking good doesn't matter much if the story and characters aren't engaging, which they are.
It's possible to carp about certain things - like how they intend to survive with no warm clothes or food, since they leave quickly and how easily Yi explains her absence to her family - but kids won't be concerned by such nitpicking matters.
And the voice cast sounds mostly American: the accents jar a little in this modern-day, specifically Chinese context.
The film avoids delving into Chinese politics although environmental and anti-colonialist or foreign interference subtexts might be discerned in Burnish's pursuit of Everest. Again, this won't matter to kids who will enjoy the cute antics of Everest, who seems a lot like a giant puppy, the kids and the adventure.
While this isn't a gag-filled, pop-culture referencing movie like many American animated features, it has its own moments of droll humour and there should be enough in it to appeal to parents who take their kids along. The pacing is a bit more leisurely than many such films although it doesn't overstay its welcome.
If you don't mind the fact that many elements of the story and the characters are recognisable from past animated films, Everest, with its likeable characters, different setting and visual beauty has enough appeal to make it worth a trek.