Titan A.E.: Review By Diaigma

The second (and last) feature to come from Fox Animation Studios boasted an ambitious take on Science Fiction, offering new worlds, technologies, and the unimaginable thought of human life after the destruction of Earth. While directed by Don Bluth, the man behind such timeless classics like The Secret of NIMH and The Land Before Time, his last directorial venture did, in no way, go off with the bang that it potentially could have. Being his most expensive film (as well as his least successful), it bombed so bad that Fox Animation Studios shut down. Lack of advertising, an inopportune release date, and failure to secure a target audience magnified this disappointment, as did some of its flaws. With a copious blend of traditional and CG animation, Titan A.E. has no problem dazzling the eyes, but its erratic pace, jumbled theme, and bad science keeps it from shining like the star that it could have been.

Separated from his father when the Drej targets Earth for destruction, Cale Tucker (Damon), who has a natural knack for fixing things, is among several handfuls of interstellar refugees, pestered by other alien creatures, until Joseph Korso (Pullman) reveals a secret hidden within his hand - a map! Following it would guide them to the Titan, the most advanced ship ever constructed, with the power to create a planet. Titan is humanity's last hope for a new home, but the Drej, an alien race composed of pure energy, fear what humans may become. In a race against time and space, Cale must place his trust in Korso, his copilot Akima (Barrymore), and other alien companions to finish what Cale's father started, but will they find the Titan before the Drej, or will humanity go the way of the universe, drifting into extinction?

What I Dug:

Visuals - incorporating traditional and CG animation at the time was a tricky move in the late 90s, but it sure looks good here. No matter where the scene takes you, whether it be a distant planet, the bridge of a private ship, or the bowels of an enemy dreadnought, this film has no problem taking you there.

Casting - what keeps this boat afloat the most is the casting selection. They work symbiotically in pitch and tone with a natural flow and a chemistry that not often works this well in animated features - a prized selection to be sure.

Soundtrack - the score might be a little left to be desired, but the soundtrack is stellar. Plenty of experimental and original choices littered throughout.

Guts - or rather, the guts to be more mature in content than most animated films, with characters who are not afraid to swear or who struggle to fight while their own blood floats in zero gravity.

What I Buried:

Erratic Pacing - some parts of the film took major detours that are anything but necessary. The capture of Cale, the slave trading of Akima, and the world of hydrogen trees could have been left out altogether, but at least they provided a convenient (though implausible) means to build character development. The "shape shifter" element quickly put the story back on track, though.

Bad Science - I can't begin to tell you how incredibly incredulous I was when Cale and Korso were in a c*ckpit, the visor cracks, and the two exhale before kicking the window. They then float to Korso's ship, suitless! Without any protection, deep space will kill you, instantly, whether you have air in your lungs or not. This and other examples that I will let you see for yourself takes Titan A.E.'s believability, literally, out the window. The Titan's location near the end almost makes up for it, presenting a highly suitable place to form a new planet.

Ending - while the climax is riveting and the demise of the Drej is "creative," the resolution of Titan A.E. is overly sentimental and presents a stretch for laughs that makes you roll your eyes.

I rather enjoyed Titan A.E. when I saw it years ago, but after reflection and growth, it is just passable for its entertainment value. My recommendation - check it out. It's worth a watch, but I wouldn't exactly call it a keeper. To think when I bought my ticket for this, a couple of preteen boys wanted to watch Shaft instead, and the person next to me asked if A.E. was a Disney movie. We can only hope that Bluth's much talked about Dragon's Lair production (if it ever comes to light) will be the final film to end his career with the esteem and respect that he truly deserves.

(By Movieweb's Diaigma: resemblance to other reviews is purely coincidental)