Abominable 2019
This animated movie by Dreamworks caught my attention for good reviews once it came out on blu-ray, but the price never got to the point where I wanted to buy it blind. I wound up getting a digital 4k copy for free, and it does look great in that format. The movie starts out in Shanghai as a teenaged girl befriends an escaped yeti and vows to return it to the Himalayas. A kid (she is almost college age) and a magical pet is a pretty common setup for movies (E.T., Pete’s Dragon, and How to Train Your Dragon), so critics weren’t crazy about it, though still positive. The voices are a little weird, seeming too American, even though one of the actors has a surprisingly authentic pedigree (Everest climber Terzing Norgay’s grandson) while another has an annoying cracking voice. The style of the human characters varies quite a bit and is a little jarring. But those aren’t big complaints. While the premise of the movie isn’t unique, the setting in urban and rural China, is good, with a nice (though again a little too common) family story, and a little bit of culture. The yeti character is good too and the level of peril seems appropriate, not pushing things too far, but still providing some drama and suspense. This is a fun and enjoyable movie to watch and while familiar, still has its own rewards.
Written: 01 Jan 2021
Owned on: Digital