Atlantis proposes some nifty battle scenes, counting an attack on a Jules Verne-esque submarine by a giant robotic trilobite and fishlike flying cars. But the film suffers from key story problems. If Princess Kida (Cree Summer) remembers her civilization at its height, why can't she read the runes? Why doesn't Milo's crew notice this the Atlanteans exist for centuries? The angular designs are based on the work of comic book artist Mike Mignola (Hellboy), and the artists struggle together with the characters' stubby hands, skinny limbs, and pointed jaws. The outcome is a film this will appeal extra to 10-year-old boys than to family audiences.
Suitable for ages 8 and up: violence, scary imagery, tobacco use, and a difficult-to-follow story. --Charles Solomon