Atlantis: The Lost Empire - A Movie Review

Discovery, teamwork, adventure. This trip to Atlantis should be enriching for all of us.

Twenty years ago, Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a Disney film that was released to theaters in 2001. Milo Thatch, a young linguistic joins a group of explorers to find the hidden world of Atlantis. Running into danger, they locate the mysterious Atlantis and its people.

Clearly, I was too young to appreciate Atlantis: The Lost Empire when I saw it in theaters at the age of six. I had an incredible time revisiting this film. Atlantis: The Lost Empire is mesmerizing. It is a story about adventure, bravery, and character study.

Milo may not look like a hero, but he makes a powerful fight to prove himself. That’s what I like about Milo. He’s a nerd who loves he is. Michael J. Fox did a tremendous job embodying the spirit of his character. This clumsy nerd proves himself to be more than what he and others thought of him.

My favorite part about this film is that it is a character study. They have depth. All the characters have contrasting personalities and yet they are relatable. And eccentric. One of my favorite scenes is when they make camp for the night and get to know each other.

Although you don’t have a say in who you work with, it’s essential to get to know your team members. You never know what you will learn. That is an essential lesson. I am so glad that this film incorporates it.

Without a doubt, this film has an exceptional voice cast. Talents include Jim Varney, Corey Burton, Claudia Christian, James Garner, Phil Morris, Cree Summer, Jacqueline Obradors, Florence Stanley, and many more. They studied their characters, finding traits of their own to put into their character’s personalities.

I cannot think of enough words to describe the animation. I was stunned by how incredible the animation was at times. The backgrounds were excellent. The submarine design was out of this world. Animators and story writers spoiled science nerds of the genre with an engrossing chase sequence.

The design for Atlantis was a breathtaking work of art. Mainly doing their research on the Internet, filmmakers went for their own look. The shadowing was a notable feature. I am impressed with the research animators conducted to studying costumes, locations, and scenery of the time.

Not only the animation, but the writers did a great job with the story. They used humor when needed and wrote the best dialogue. Conversations felt natural. The transitions and growth of characters also feel genuine.

This film is also a good chance to learn about others’ cultures. The interactions between Milo and Kita are essential. Kita is one of my favorite Disney characters. She is strong-willed and thinks differently among her people.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire has a couple of notable firsts in Disney history. It was Disney’s first sci-fi animated film. Did you know that Milo is the first Disney character to wear glasses? That one surprised me, too.

Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise delivered an excellent sci-fi animated film packed with an action-packed climax. They put hard work into every sequence making a tremendous outcome. Taking chances, Trousdale and Wise defined what an adventure is. Teamwork is also given a meaningful definition, too.

I am surprised that Atlantis: The Lost Empire is not talked about more. I am so glad that I watched this film again because now I appreciate it all the more. Be aware that it is a dark and even risque film for young audiences. You need to see this film.