Review: ‘Abominable’ is the animated adventure of a lifetime (Includes first-hand account)

Mythical creatures are great story subjects because in addition to there being no evidence of their existence, there’s also nothing to contradict any characteristic that may be imaginatively applied to them. In fact, it goes to say that if they do exist, they must have exceptional qualities to have stayed hidden for this long. Thus, besides starring in mockumentaries and people’s blurry photos, legendary beasts like Nessy, Bigfoot and the Yeti have also featured regularly in animated pictures. Not surprisingly, Abominable centres on a young yeti far from home who befriends a human girl dealing with her own sense of loss.

Yi (Chloe Bennet) is the busiest kid in her neighbourhood, secretly working multiple jobs to save for a trip her late father promised they’d take together. Consequently, her former playmate, Peng (Albert Tsai), is often ignored and his older cousin, Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor), is appalled by the smell of hard work. One night while daydreaming on the roof, Yi sees something that wasn’t there before: a large yeti that escaped from a nearby holding facility. Injured and alone, she wins his trust then agrees to help him return to his home… on Everest. Before Peng and Jin can stop her, the three of them are escorting the giant creature across the country.

This is a very sweet story about a girl working through her grief by helping a vulnerable creature reunite with its family. Yi is a fixer so when she sees the yeti needs help, she immediately jumps into action to keep him safe and treat his wounds. The results are mixed at first and the angry beast may be a little scary for younger viewers. But everything starts to look up once they get passed the King Kong part of the movie. Together, the three kids and the mythical creature go on an amazing cross-country adventure, visiting stunning locales and historical landmarks. In addition, these wonderous sights are accompanied by beautiful music from Yi’s violin, which is far better than any of the lyrical songs on the soundtrack.

The yeti’s magical abilities are strengthened the closer it gets to home, but it’s also so versatile that it can help in almost any situation. In spite of its relatively young age, it reads a situation quickly and reacts appropriately, whether that means creating waves on land or manipulating nature to aid in an escape. But when they’re not running from Burnish (Eddie Izzard) and Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson), they have quite a bit of fun too. However, the most amusing character in the movie is a rare whooping snake that becomes the centre of a running that never gets old. If you find yourself to also be a fan, be sure to stay for the post credits.

Listen to @ChloeBennet, @TenzingTrainor and @AlbertTsai share what it meant to bring their Chinese culture to the big screen. See their epic adventure through China in #AbominableMovie in theaters this Friday. Get tickets now: pic.twitter.com/4uE1tSOHMU

— DreamWorks Animation (@Dreamworks) September 21, 2019

Directors: Jill Culton and co-director Todd Wilderman
Starring: Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai and Tenzing Norgay Trainor

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘Steve Jobs—The Man in the Machine’ penetrates below the surface (Includes first-hand account)

    The path to success is not generally without obstacles, but a person’s manner of dealing with these complications is a good indication of their character. If they exhibit callousness early in their career, there’s little hope their disposition will improve over time; rather it’s more likely that insensitivity will grow in parallel with their accomplishments since it appears to be a verified means to the desired end. The key, however, is to conceal any unpleasant behaviour behind the guise of a liked and respected façade. Documentarian Alex Gibney examines one of the world’s most successful and possibly most misunderstood figures in Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine.

  • ‘Battle of the Sexes’ trailer recreates competitive energy (Includes first-hand account)

    Any time women have wanted something men already have, they’ve had to fight to get it; whether it’s a prominent position, an equal seat at the table or simple respect. At some point, feminist became a dirty word and was spewed with vitriol at anyone who supported women’s rights to be treated the same as their counterparts. Yet they persevered, filling history with women who broke down the barriers and paved the way for those who would come after them. Battle of the Sexes chronicles one of those momentous occasions.