Director:
Mark Dindal

Cast:
Zach Braff
Joan Cusack
Garry Marshall
Steve Zahn

Official URL:

http://www.disney.com/chickenlittle

Country: USA
Rating: G
Studio Name: Buena Vista Pictures
Running Time: 0 hr 78 mins
Release Date: November 4, 2005

Critics's Rating:
(2 Reels) 

November 4, 2005

By Veronica Mixon

In its first computer animated film without the Pixar partnership, Disney stumbles with the cute Chicken Little. Based on the classic tale, director Mark Dindal and the writers create a simple story of a boy who wants the respect of his father. Of course, that’s fine but the story lacks the multi-level plots and depth of characters found in recent animated hits, Finding Nemo,The Incredibles and Toy Story.

Chicken Little (voice of Zach Braff of TV’s Scrubs) is a little tyke trying to live up to his father’s (Garry Marshall) reputation as a high school jock. Of course that’s hard when everyone things you are weird. You see, Chicken claimed the sky was falling and no one will let him (or his father) forget the embarrassment. In school, he’s constantly teased along with his best friends, Abby Mallard (Joan Cusack), Fish out of water, and Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn). He volunteers for the baseball team and becomes a star!

So, imagine when he discovers that the planet is being invaded from outer space. Naturally, no one believes until it’s too late. But, what really hurts Chicken is the fact that his father is afraid that he’s destroying his heroic reputation.

The visual that Dindal and his crew have created is wonderful and charming. They’ve taken a more contemporary approach rather than create stories that hark back to more classic toys or settings. There are modern references to War of the Worlds and Star Wars. But, the story is very thin. Also, there is mild stream of sexism running through the cartoon – the bully is female; the ugly kid is female and wives are chastised or simply not there. I did, however, like the fact that Chicken declares his love for Abby. That was wonderful! Audiences are use to characters with complex personalities but Dindal and writers have skipped over this element. It’s a shame because there are some really cute characters like the little alien.

I do think that little kids will enjoy this film but I doubt if it will receive the huge adoration that Toy Story or Finding Nemo received. Disney has a lot of catching up to do in this new age of animation.

to TOP