Cinema Review (From Penarth Times)

Cinema Review

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (U) ***

ATLANTIS: The Lost Empire is set in Washington DC in 1914. Milo Thatch (voice by the excellent actor Michael J Fox) is a nave but determined museum cartographer and linguistics expert, who has been spellbound by the legend of the missing city ever since his grandfather, a famous explorer, used to tell him stories about it.

Milo dreams of completing the quest his grandfather started, so when a long lost journal surfaces, providing new clues to the location, he believes he's found the key that will unlock the mystery.

He is helped in his search by an old and rich friend of his grandfather, Preston B Whitmore (John Mahoney), who provides him with transport and assembles a diverse band of adventurers to help search for the missing city.

The group consists of the over-bearing Commander Rourke, the cold and calculating Helga Sinclair, Wilhemina the radio operator and Vinny who likes to blow things up.

The action shifts into high gear as Milo ultimately leads Commander Rourke and his team to the elusive undersea kingdom, but they are shocked to discover a thriving civilisation.

Princess Kida embraces the strangers, but her father the King (Leonard Nimoy) is hesitant, he feels they will only bring trouble.

His worse fears are realised when someone in the expedition is willing to risk everything in order to harness the mysterious power that has kept the Atlanteans alive all these years.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire takes Disney in a new direction, it is sharp, bold and bright.