One of childhood’s most endearing qualities is the ability, of those still progressing through their formative years, to look out into a field and imagine mysterious creatures, and to stand in awe of the great unknown.
EPIC, the glorious new film from Blue Sky Studios (Ice Age, Rio) is a testament to the everlasting beauty of that exact sense of childlike wonder. The rub here is that it’s a grown man, a father, who, at the risk of continuing to lose all that he holds dear, holds dearly to his seemingly outrageous belief that the woods surrounding his remote home (described humorously as less a home and more “termites holding hands” by the taxi driver who drops off his daughter, our heroine, M.K.) are home to a thriving civilization of miniscule tree people. It’s the stuff of childhood fancy, no doubt, but his estranged teen daughter can’t be bothered with dad’s geeky obsession that’s ostracized him from the civilized world and his own family.
EPIC takes a bit to get going but once the audience in immersed into the deep woods, the action is fast-paced, the scenery stunning, and the story satisfying enough, if lacking a major aha surprise moment.
With a regal queen, dainty dandelion girls, brave soldiers, snarky molluscs, and cruel villains, there is something in EPIC for everyone in the family. And for anyone who is living their life a little bit out of tune with the rest of society, who’s unique passions may confound loved ones, EPIC represents an epic hope for understanding, love, and respect.
