{"id":343,"date":"2010-10-21T15:30:02","date_gmt":"2010-10-21T15:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=343"},"modified":"2010-10-21T15:30:02","modified_gmt":"2010-10-21T15:30:02","slug":"alpha-and-omega-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/alpha-and-omega-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Alpha and Omega – 2*"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Pixar<\/a> is just not doing other animators any favours, especially in the 3D stakes. So, for a new non-Pixar film to stand out, it has to have something extra special and memorable about it. Crest Animation<\/a>\u2019s Alpha and Omega<\/em><\/a> is sadly going to be remembered by this critic as a \u2018Timotei ad for wolves with great hair\u2019 because the 3D and the story lack body and bite \u2013 even with all the greatest will and intention to plug a smaller studio production.
\nWe\u2019re introduced to an amicable enough bunch of canine characters that in all honesty, and with a bit of clever marketing, considering the emphasise placed on hair dos, could be sold as dolls at Christmas, complete with their own mini bottles of shampoo (you heard it here first). However, even with voices lent by Hayden Panettiere<\/a>, Justin Long<\/a>, Danny Glover<\/a>, Dennis Hooper<\/a> and Christina Ricci<\/a>, Alpha wolf Kate and Omega wolf Humphrey still fail to rise to the top of the pack of animated offerings out there, and merely offer a pleasing diversion from reality for one hour plus, rather than any longer, more poignant attachment like Woody and co., or Sulley and team do. These wolves may even go off radar by the time the festive season arrives, consigned to the DVD list, and up against better Pixar titles. This is not to say there isn\u2019t room for more emotive animated characters to capture our hearts and imaginations, it\u2019s just that Kate and Humphrey just don\u2019t fully engage us.<\/p>\n

In our humble opinion – and it has nothing to do with the quality of the animation, one main reason for this could be the lack of adventure that Pixar makes sure it gets absolutely right: If we don\u2019t go the distance with our furry friends, we can\u2019t possibly be expected to empathise with their plight and their end jubilation. Apart from hitchhiking their way home and meeting two of the funniest characters in the film, a golf-loving turkey and his sarcastic associate, one minute our wayward pair are lost, far from home, the next Kate and Humphrey are swiftly projected back to face the growing pressure between the two packs, without any hairs out of place. Yes, there is a bear incident in the meantime, but not much else to allow us (or our leads) to truly bond.<\/p>\n

Admittedly, Humphrey and friends teach us the true meaning of friendship, if the jokes and antics are a little clich\u00e9d and stoke feelings of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, from Ice Age<\/em><\/a> to The Jungle Book<\/em><\/a>. Like every animation rightfully teaches us, everyone can get along with a little compromise and understanding, and Alpha and Omega<\/em> is no different and is therefore difficult to knock for all its good-intended morality. But it does lack originality. That said a notable and quirky moment is Garth\u2019s inability to howl at the moon, causing the birds to quite literally fall from the sky and this, combined with a toe-tapping soundtrack, in addition to the hair fashion statements, will getting the film talked about.<\/p>\n

Can Alpha and Omega<\/em> stand on its own four feet in the 3D market? At least it doesn\u2019t have Toy Story 3D<\/em><\/a> to contend with, come September. The most troubling thing about this animation and others like it, is the film-makers\u2019 almost dismissive and misguided belief that throw a bunch of A Lister stars\u2019 voices at it, and it will somehow work its magic at the box office. From experience, it doesn\u2019t. It\u2019s the story that just seems to lack meat on its bones to tempt even the hungriest of animation fans out of their cozy dens to see it.<\/p>\n

2\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By L G-K<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pixar is just not doing other animators any favours, especially in the 3D stakes. So, for a new non-Pixar film to stand out, it has to have something extra special and memorable about it. Crest Animation\u2019s Alpha and Omega is sadly going to be remembered by this critic as a \u2018Timotei ad for wolves with … <\/p>\n

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