“Abominable” Movie Review

    The mythological creature known as the Yeti has been all over the silver screen the past few years.  Apparently having big feet is sheik.  The latest film to feature the yeti is “Abominable” which hit theaters last month.  I was curious how this film would compare to the recent film depicting the abominable snowman because the previews for this movie were really cute.

    The film tells the story of a young girl named Yi who is working hard to save up money to take a trip to the places her dad promised they would go to together before he passed away.  Things change for Yi one night when she stumbles on an injured and scared yeti on her complex’s rooftop one night.  Upon realizing that the yeti wants to return home to Mount Everest, Yi sets off to help the yeti return home.  Yi is joined by friends Jin and Peng on her quest but the gang must make sure Everest (the name they gave to the yeti) isn’t recaptured by a greedy businessmen named Burnish.

    The film’s main strength is in how cute they made Everest.  Just seeing how sad and scared he looks makes you care about his quest to find home.  It is also a unique spin for the film to take place in Shanghai, giving the film a unique setting.  Between the friendships the yeti and children share, the movie has a real heartwarming feel.

    Now, the film isn’t without some minor flaws, most noticeably being that yeti/Bigfoot animated movies have been done a lot recently so it doesn’t come off as all that original.  While the film has certain qualities that are lacking in “Smallfoot” and “Missing Link”, the fact that both these films tackle yetis isn’t lost on most audience members.

    The film also slows down a bit in pace in the second act (and noticeably when dealing with the antagonist Burnish).  It’s not that it takes much away from the film, but youngsters might check out a bit when Everest isn’t on screen.  On the plus side, the movie has a lot of good morals for children.

    “Abominable” is a good film in the vain of “How to Train Your Dragon” and will leave you feeling like a kid again.  What the film lacks in originality it more than makes up for in charm.  Ultimately, this is a film worthy of checking out, especially if you have kids.

Grade: B