When it comes to Dreamworks animation, mediocrity and inconsistency are two words that spring to mind. Chicken Run was a creative and a fun piece that had a lot to offer, but then there was the derivative and uninspired The Road to El Dorado on the opposite end of the spectrum, with everything else filling the void between them. With the exception of Shrek, all of the other features the studio has put out have received a lukewarm welcome at the theaters. So you say who cares about the statistics and box office takes, is Sinbad good enough for you to see? Yes and no.
Off to pull their one last job before retiring to Fiji, Sinbad and his crew have their eyes set on an ancient relic called the Book of Peace. Everything is going according to plan until he discovers that the person escorting the item is none other than his childhood friend Proteus, prince and heir to the city of Syracuse. Further complicating the situation is the appearance of a sea monster, suffice to say that the rogue hero barely escapes unscathed as well as empty handed. Alas, all is not lost because he did happen to meet Eris, the goddess of discord, and in exchange for wealth, Sinbad agrees to steal the book for her. Unfortunately, before he could hold up his end of the bargain, Eris double-crosses him by framing him for the theft. Sentence to die for an act he did not committ, Proteus is the only person who believes him and vouches for him by taking his place. In order to save Proteus, Sinbad must retrieve the book from Tartarus within the allotted time frame.
Right off the bat you can tell that this is not exactly Sinbad the Sailor from the Arabian Nights. Instead, screenwriter John Logan decided to put the legendary character into a Greek setting complete with a meddlesome deity, fantastical creatures, and a trip frought with perils that reminded me a lot of Homer's Odyssey. The final result is sort of a mixed bag. It is as if someone had cut and pasted together snippets of adventures that seem interesting but do not really serve any kind of purpose, so the transition feels awkward instead of a smooth streamlined story. Despite my lack of love for the angular and squarish-faced character models, the animation in Sinbad is nevertheless impressive. The computer-generated monsters, backgrounds and environments paint a tapestry that is both rich in color and style. The movie does not fail to entertain its audiences visually.
Another thing you will notice is the over abundance of jokes, whether it be sexual, barfing or otherwise. Having a sense of humor is often a good thing (depending on the subject matter of course), but too much of it can sometimes be detrimental. Personally, I felt that the amount of suggestive undertones was a bit too excessive for a supposedly family-oriented movie. Though I enjoyed the tension between Sinbad and Marina, their unlikely romance was something I could have done without. It was like an after thought, totally unnecessary and executed poorly; same goes for the inclusion of a cute pet sidekick. Voice acting on the whole is decent, but Brad Pitt failed to impress me in the lead role of Sinbad. I like Michelle Pfeiffer's playful and seductive Eris, and Catherine Zeta-Jones' thrill seeking Marina is not half bad either, but she seem to sport an accent only once in a while. Joseph Fiennes and Dennis Haysbert's monotone delivery of lines as Proteus and Kale is lackluster, which goes to show that a big name actor does not always make a good voice actor.
With Sharkslayer and Madagascar in the works for a 2004 and a 2005 release respectively, Dreamworks animation is here to stay, let us just hope that these future offerings will finally make them a worthy competition in a market dominated by Disney and Pixar. The bottom-line is if you are expecting something as imaginative as Spirited Away or as charming as Finding Nemo, you better look elsewhere because you will be disappointed. Otherwise, bring a child with you (a niece, nephew, cousin or whoever), since seeing them delighted will probably help you enjoy the movie more then it actually deserves. Sinbad is one adventure that sinks quickly and is best left at the docks.
- Zalasta
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