May Monthly Review: Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) (Patreon)

Released post-Disney Renaissance, Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) occupies a very special place in the heart of many early 2000s kids as a forgotten masterpiece. As one of those kiddos, I had to ask myself, "is this really as good as I remember? Or am I just wearing cyan-tinted glasses?" I'm happy to report, this movie holds up!

Atlantis: The Lost Empire is, on its most basic level, a very straightforward adventure. A crew of explorers embark on a voyage to reach the lost city of Atlantis, and what they find is a vibrant civilization, which they must subsequently save from their own former leader's greed. Putting aside for a moment the colonial undertones present across this particular genre, the plot of this film doesn't do much to break formula. If you are told of the existence of a great Leviathan, the movie will promptly show one to you. If you catch an evil glare from Rourke, you'll see him make good on it. This lack of nuance is not without its benefits, key among them allowing the story to serve the world and characters to viewers on a platter.

What Atlantis leaves to be desired in its story it poured into its characters. Every key member of the cast feels real and well-rounded. Milo and Kida may get the most screen-time for their origins, but the rest of the crew manages to be just as defined thanks to their early interactions on the voyage. The moment Sweet assists Milo in escaping Mole's wraith, followed by his heel-turn sawbones gag, we understand who he is as a character, and there are similar introductions ready for the rest of the cast. These relationships only get reinforced as we see them journey, interacting with each other and drawing out the most interesting parts of their companions character.

Despite the simple story leaving little development for the characters to undergo, save perhaps Milo, who must come into his own to end the film, my investment in these character stayed high throughout. This is in large part due to the dialogue. What the plot lacks in interest, the writing more than makes up for in snappy, original dialogue. One-liners, conversations, asides, every word out of a characters mouth not only accomplishes the base task of conveying information, but manages to do so with impact. The jokes are clever, funny to adults and children alike, without falling into the trap of sneaking "oh I never caught that as a kid" lines in. This movie is a testament to the power of exceptional writing, and it's ability to elevate even the most simple meal into something worth tasting. 

Aside from the characters, the setting shines in Atlantis. To have it be anything but gorgeous would have been a disservice to the story. While it can be tempting to over-build an original world such as this, Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise showed considerable restraint, sticking to appropriate visuals and communicating only what was needed for the story to progress. While as an ever-curious person I was left wanting to explore the streets of Atlantis, the story would not have been served by a deeper explanation of their sewer system, and it is ultimately for the best that some mysterious locales remain at least somewhat mysterious. 

I cannot praise Atlantis' world building without touching on some of the less savory implications that come along with this genre of story. Like the Indiana Jones' and the Mummy before it, Atlantis: the Lost Empire is the story of a group of Americans "discovering" a civilization with its own complex society and history, and saving it. While this film handles these themes better than most, it undeniably still falls victim to the impulse to colonize. For every lesson about the perils of greed, there is a white man who is the only one able to read the language of the Atlantans, a people who are still alive and otherwise recall their own history. I am of the opinion, that Atlantis is aware of the problems in the genre it draws from. It goes so far as to make jabs at the legality of museums, and approaches the fictional Atlantans with awe rather then fear. The film's final arc is a direct result of the expedition's exploitative purpose, and the heroes stands in opposition to their actions. Despite this awareness, the film doesn't take strides to unpack exploitation beyond "greed bad", so it is on the viewer to think critically about the pulp adventure genre as a whole, and its influence on this movie.

Ultimately, Atlantis: the Lost Empire is a good time. The writing and visuals more than make up for a simpler plot. It succeeded in creating an interesting world populated by characters I wanted to get to know, and leaving just the right amount of questions unanswered. After watching, I was left wishing something I rarely do, "this should have been a TV show." Atlantis is one of those rare movies where I wanted to see the story stretched out and fully explored, perhaps across a 20 episode season. The characters are so strong, and the world so vast, that it practically begs you to explore. If only their TV adaptation had not run so afoul, becoming the much worse mish-mash that was Atlantis: Milo's Return in 2003. Alas, it remains the series that never was.

Like Treasure Planet, Atlantis: the Lost Empire suffered from the time it was released in and the critical slander it received. Despite its harrowed history, the film is an action-packed masterclass in crafting an adventure, and filling it with real, endearing characters. Worth watching for the dialogue alone, Atlantis is one of those rare childhood treasures that stays shiny with age, even if the magic crystals are sold separately.

7 sticks of dynamite out of 10