Arts & Entertainment

Movie Review: Animated Film 'Epic' is Visually Stunning but Fails to Live Up to Its Title

One critic writes about the title, "Not only is it generic-sounding and Google-unfriendly, it's also one of the last words most viewers would use to describe the film."

Find out when and where "Epic" is playng with the Moviephone search tool at the top of this file.

he premise, courtesy of the film's official website:

"Epic" is a 3D CG adventure comedy that reveals a fantastical world unlike any other. From the creators of "Ice Age" and "Rio," "Epic" tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world ... and ours.

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here's what critics are saying:

While it might not amount to epic animated filmmaking in terms of scope and invention, 'Epic,' a 3D, CG adventure-fantasy from Blue Sky Studios, nevertheless makes for pleasantly engaging viewing. — Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
The most questionable thing about 'Epic,' Blue Sky Studios’ latest animated adventure, is its title. Not only is it generic-sounding and Google-unfriendly, it’s also one of the last words most viewers would use to describe the film. — Andrew Barker, Variety
'Epic' does get a lot out of its sylvan setting, with characters dressed as flowers and evil bugs disguising themselves as bark, and it keeps throwing flying sequences at us, since that's become the safe fall-back for any 3-D adventure. You've danced this dance before, but you may find yourself enchanted by the new steps that have been added here and there. — Alonso Duralde, Chicago Tribune
Overall, 'Epic' is still worthy of a family trip to the theaters. The overarching theme of good defeating evil and beautiful animation are surely to captivate young viewers and perhaps teach them a lesson or two in the process. — Nicole Rojas, Latinos Post
The film looks terrific, with a fantastical forest coming to 3-D life. Swooping birds, flying arrows and more make good use of the technology. But the best films use technology as a storytelling device, not as a substitute for story. ... It’s a simple rule: Don’t skimp on story. And “Epic,” directed by Chris Wedge, sometimes does. — Bill Goodykoontz, Florida Today

"Epic" is rated PG for mild action, some scary images and brief rude language. The movie runs 1 hour and 43 minutes. 

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here