Atlantis - The Lost Empire (Collector's Edition) on DVD

Atlantis: The Lost Empire *** (PG)

Reviewed By George O. Singleton

Milo Thatch: Michael J. Fox	Commander Rourke: James Garner
Helga: Claudia Christian	Dr. Joshua Sweet: Phil Morris
Wilhelmina Packard: Florence Stanley	Audrey: Jacqueline Obradors
Princess Kida: Cree Summer	Atlantian King: Leonard Nimoy
Director: Gary Troudsdale	Co-Director: Kirk Wise

30 Second Bottom Line: In this Disney animated feature, a team of scientific experts is assembled to search for the mythical lost city of Atlantis, sunken beneath the ocean. They have a mission to find special crystals, which can provide a source of energy for the Earth's surface.

Story Line: Milo Thatch (Michael J. Fox) is an ambitious and dedicated college professor who believes, unlike his colleagues and superiors, that the sunken city of Atlantis is not a myth. He becomes convinced when he discovers a book called the Shepherds Journal, given to him by a friend of his grandfather's. Milo manages to convince enough talented people to assemble a team to search for the city in a specially built submarine.

Soon they are off on their mission and as expected, creatures of the deep threaten them on the way to the sunken city. Overcoming great odds, the adventurers arrive in Atlantis and they are told by the King (Leonard Nimoy) that Atlantian law dictates that "no outsider can see the city and live to return to the surface."

Milo meets Princess Kida (Cree Summer) and it's love at first sight. If they get together one must come to the surface or the other must stay in Atlantis. The Commander of the submarine, Rourke (James Garner), appears to be Mr. nice guy, but he may have a hidden agenda.

Other members of the sub crew bring into focus their own view of a diverse world. Second in command Helga Sinclair (Claudia Christian) is an intelligent, attractive woman, who seems to be allied with the Commander. Dr.Joshua Sweet (Phil Morris) is one who provides good advice (like his dad, Phillip Morris, did on TV's Mission Impossible). Wilhelmina Packard (Florence Stanley) is a senior citizen and helmsman on the sub; and Audrey (Jacqueline Obreadors) is a sassy talking Latina, who is battle savvy. This cast of voices delivers on all levels.

Tell Me More About It: The film starts out looking almost a bit retro, with what appears to be more traditional animation when compared to other 2001 summer films such as Final Fantasy and Shrek. The de facto standard of animation now is to see characters with much more movement in facial detail.

The story has a rather uninspired set up; creating the situation of Milo wanting to find the Shepherd's Journal, fighting with people at the University to support his efforts to find Atlantis, and getting the team together for the launch of the submarine to find the city under the sea.

Considering that this is aimed primarily at youngsters, all that may mean little to nothing. However, for the adults that accompany them to the theater, these items make a difference. As the submarine team goes on its search, they run into problems with a monster that looks like a giant lobster, about five times the size of the submarine. After a battle ensues, the team makes an escape and finds the underwater pocket in the ocean floor, where there is air and they regain their bearings. From there they make their way down a path to the city of Atlantis.

Atlantis: the Lost Empire delivers a legendary fable in a more or less traditional style; though with some updated substance. If you are looking for a vintage Disney movie, you've found it.

Michael J. Fox: Stuart Little	James Garner: Space Cowboys
Claudia Christian: Love and Sex	Phil Morris: Wag the Dog
Florence Stanley: Bulworth	Jacqueline Obradors: Six Days Seven Nights
Cree Summer: Rugrats in Paris: The Movie	Leonard Nimoy: Invasion America-TV
Gary Troudsdale: Beauty and the Beast	Kirk Wise: Beauty and the Beast