Claude Monet was a herald of the impressionistic movement. His water-lily paintings were beautiful to look at, but they appeared to be discombobulated blots if viewed too closely. Monet's artwork is a perfect analogy for Atlantis: the Lost Empire, a 2001 animated Disney popcorn flick with much more style than substance. Young Milo Thatch, (Michael J. Fox) a linguist whose theories on the lost city of Atlantis are ridiculed by the scientific community, realizes his dreams when his theories turn out to be correct. He joins a multi-ethnic expedition to the sea bottom to locate the lost city, which they find in a state of slow decay. Milo befriends the Atlantean princess Kida (Cree Summer) as they seek to restore Atlantis to its former glory. While the scenery and art style are unique and fun to look at, the movie leaves the viewer desperate for some substance to complement its style. The acting, while capable, hardly drives the viewers' interest, and the plot is a little too reminiscent of better films, particularly 1954's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or 1994's Stargate (and neither film was exactly a work of genius). At times, even the movie itself seems disinterested in its own plot, racing through informative scenes at a breakneck pace. Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in a particular scene wherein Milo and the Atlanteans seem to almost instantly decipher each others' languages, with only a flimsy excuse provided to justify this incredible leap of faith on the part of the viewing audience. In summation: fun to look at, but not much else going on.
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