Abominable review

ABOMINABLE:

BREATHTAKING ANIMATED YETI MOVIE IS AS BOLD AS IT IS HUGGABLE!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

Yi and her new friend Everest in Abominable

            A young girl befriends a magical yeti and helps him find his way home in Abominable, the latest animated film from DreamWorks and co-production with China’s Pearl Studio who had previously collaborated with DreamWorks on 2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3. People will be comparing this movie to last year’s Smallfoot which was another animated film revolving around a yeti befriending a human but much like The Book of Life and Coco they are two entirely different “beasts”, pun intended.

            Abominable takes an approach similar to DreamWorks’ own How to Train Your Dragon where a human befriends a mystical creature and focuses on the inseparable bond they have while embarking on a life-changing adventure. Smallfoot is a solid comedic yeti animated movie but if I had to choose which one has the better story and characters, I have to go with Abominable on this one. 

            I absolutely adored this movie almost as much as How to Train Your Dragon which might be an unpopular opinion on my end, but I don’t care. From the gorgeous animation, charming characters, one adorable, puppy-dog eyed yeti, and some legitimate drama and poignant themes of loss and family, this is an animation marvel for both kids and adults.

            The film follows a young girl named Yi (voiced by Chloe Bennet-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, Valley Girl) living in Shanghai with her mother (voiced by Michelle Wong) and Nai Nai (voiced by Tsai Chin-Live and Let Die/Casino Royale, The Joy Luck Club, The Dream of Red Mansions) who dreams of leaving the city and seeing the world after the passing of her father who she remembers through a violin he gave her. One night while playing her violin she discovers a yeti on the roof of her apartment building who escaped from a top-secret laboratory.

            Yi realizes that the yeti just wants to go back to his home on Mount Everest, which gives him the nickname of Everest and be reunited with his parents. So, Yi and Everest begin their journey to Mount Everest while also roping in her friends Jin (voiced by Tenzing Norgay Trainor-Liv and Maddie) and Peng (voiced by Albert Tsai-Trophy Wife, Fresh Off the Boat, Dr. Ken) along the way. However, they will need to stay one-step ahead of a wealthy man known as Burnish (voiced by Eddie Izzard-Mystery Men, Ocean’s Twelve/Thirteen, The Lego Batman Movie) intent on capturing a yeti and zoologist Dr. Zara (voiced by Sarah Paulson-Ocean’s 8, Bird Box, Glass) in order to get Everest home.

            Overall, Abominable is a beautifully animated adventure showcasing some of DreamWorks’ best animation (And that’s saying something) with a sweet story about friendship and family tucked inside that also embraces Chinese culture similar to what Kubo and the Two Strings did for Japanese culture and Coco for Mexican culture. It never feels forced and the animation really shows how lively China is and also depicting the colorful characters wandering its streets, this alongside The Farewell really make me want to visit China.

            I’ll admit the plot is pretty basic and cliché, you know the one about the yeti or sasquatch befriending a human to get back home while on the run from the “Big Bad Corporation” out to get them. However, Abominable doesn’t quite go the way you’d expect and it’s more like “The Big Corporation Has Lost Its Love of Nature And is Rediscovering It” which is a breath of fresh air in my opinion. 

            The characters are charming and the friendship between Yi and Everest is almost as powerful as Hiccup and Toothless from the How to Train Your Dragon movies. Everest is freaking adorable and is able to show a variety of emotions and expressions thanks to the top-notch animation and it’s all done without any dialogue, yeah, the human can’t understand the yeti in Smallfoot despite speaking English, but it’s done a lot better here.

            As lovely and sweet as the movie is, Abominable isn’t flawless, I found the humor to be a bit lackluster and clearly geared towards the kids. Giant blueberries inside your pants looking like a giant butt, Tee-Hee, Ha-Ha, also there’s a strange running joke with Peng being obsessed with basketball and at times interfere with the more dramatic moments, it doesn’t ruin the movie, but it is a little distracting. 

            Aside from that, Abominable is a magical adventure for the entire family and one of my new favorite DreamWorks animated films. Breathtaking animation, charming characters, incredible music composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams of Wonder Woman and Aquaman fame, and some surprisingly bold storytelling, this is a yeti I’ll gladly visit again.