Writer: Jill Culton
Director: Jill Culton & Todd Wilderman
Cast: Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, and Sarah Paulson
Yi, a sad young girl comes face to face with an elusive magical Yeti. The defenseless beast called Everest escaped a laboratory and was desperate to return to his homeland. With the help of her two friends, Peng and Jin Yi take off on a harrowing journey to return Everest to his home atop one of the world’s tallest mountains.
DreamWorks latest animated film is a unique story that celebrates Chinese culture in a new exciting way. The characters are mostly Asian, which allows young viewers to witness a rare glimpse into the life of a modern Chinese family. Though heritage has very little to do with the story, it is notable given the lack of Asian characters in animated features. Not since Mulan has there been a fearsome Chinese lead in an animated film. Yi is a witty, smart well-developed character with complex emotions and a non-traditional family dynamic. Yi lives with her doting mother and grandmother in a major Chinese city. She isn’t a princess or a warrior, she is just an average girl trying to survive a devastating loss. Yi’s father has passed away, she copes with his passing by taking on odd jobs to earn money for a big trip.
The imagery in this film is breathtaking, Abominable takes moviegoers on a wild ride through the Chinese countryside. The animators did a magnificent job of creating gorgeous landscapes and energetic action sequences. One of our favorite scenes in the film involves a field of inflating blueberries that eventually erupts into a wild explosion of color and action. Along on Yi’s journey are her neighbors Peng and Jin, who are like Yin and Yang. Peng is very similar to the yeti, he is wild and rambunctious. Jin is a pretty boy of sorts preferring social media to actual interaction. They balance out Yi’s hyper-focused mind forcing her out of her head and back into the real world. Though she is having a tough time herself Yi is a kind compassionate little girl who saw an opportunity to help someone, a lesson that hopefully reaches all audiences. The film is a lesson on grief as Yi eventually learns a valuable lesson about the importance of family. Abominable could be a helpful tool in helping children cope with grief and loss. Despite its dramatic themes, Abominable is a family film so expect a great deal of laughter and silliness.
Abominable hits theaters, Friday, September 27, 2019.