Toon Talk: Eight Below
Page 2 of 2
(c) Disney
Jerry (finally) makes it back to Antarctica in a denouement that is surprisingly anti-climactic; after all, this movie is “Inspired By A True Story�?, so you know Disney would not make a movie about a bunch of dead dogs. (Although you can pretty much determine at the outset the fate of “Old�? Jack, the aging husky on the cusp of retirement.)
A lot of effort is put into “characterizing�? the dogs, which nevertheless reduces their roles to pat clichés: the motherly Maya, the dumb Buck, the young pup with something to prove Max. Each canine role was played by two “actor�? dogs, who are actually billed before their human co-stars, which says something about their agents, if not the humans’.
Or not; not unexpectedly, Walker is out-acted by the dogs even with a superfluous romantic subplot with bush pilot Katie (Moon Bloodgood, who nearly out-blands Walker, if that is possible) tacked on. In a shallow attempt at comic relief, American Pie guy Jason Biggs plays a wacky cartographer with little impact, humorous or otherwise.
While not as insipid as Snow Dogs, Eight Below is still pretty tepid as an adventure, and all too familiar as the heart-warmer it so desperately wants to be.
Toon Talk Rating: C
|
In this ‘Toon Talk’ feature, I will briefly highlight a recommended film or DVD, outside of the Disney universe, of similar interest to the main subject. Treacherous True Trek Composed of equal parts documentary and narrative structures, Touching the Void (2003, IFC Films) tells the true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, British mountain climbers who miraculously survived the deadly peaks of the Peruvian Andes in 1985. Using interviews with the two to tell their amazing story, director Kevin Macdonald employed actors to recreate their perilous journey, creating a unique documentary that is just as engrossing and exciting as any fiction film. DVD available from MGM Home Entertainment. |
Coming Soon:
- “This is the night, it’s a beautiful night …�? for the new Platinum Edition of the perennial favorite Lady and the Tramp (Disney DVD, February 28).
- Tim Allen returns in a new take on The Shaggy Dog story (Disney, March 10).
- The sky is falling - again! Chicken Little comes home to roost on Disney DVD (March 21).
Discuss It
Related Links
-- Kirby C. Holt
-- Logos by William C. Searcy, Magic Bear Graphics,
http://www.cafepress.com/MagicBear
Kirby is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. He is also an avid list maker and chronic ellipsis user ...
Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.
The opinions expressed by our Kirby C. Holt, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted February 10, 2006