Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Though hampered by a sometimes predictable story line, Disney's animated telling of Plato's undersea legend deserves kudos for tackling the heady expectation surrounding modern action films and the artistic expressionism of Japanese anime, all the while maintaining a precarious sense of studio tradition and dedication to animation quality. Opening with the obligatory pop song ("Where the Dream Takes You," a serviceable slice of modern R&B; boilerplate cowritten with master songwriter/boilermaker Diane Warren), James Newton Howard's rousing orchestral score at once recalls the traditions of previous Disney adventures such as20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But Howard updates that tradition with alternating doses of tense,Williams-esque dynamics (particularly in the rousing "Leviathan"), and the sense of frequently playful wonder familiar fromDinosaur, his previous effort for the studio's animators. His evocative musical portraits of Atlantis often conjure the ghost ofBernard Herrmannat his most romantic and adventuresome, adding a sense of emotional gravity and a sophisticated air of exotic mystery unusual in most animated fare.--Jerry McCulley