REVIEW: Anastasia By Luke Buckmaster (bucky@alphalink.com.au)
Featuring the voices of: Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Angela Lansbury, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst Directors: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman Screenplay: Susan Gauthier & Bruce Graham, Bob Tzudiker & Noni White
Australian theatrical release date: June 25, 1998
>From 0 stars (bomb), to 5 stars (a masterpiece): 4 stars
Due to what we have been witness to in the past, it's hard to label any animated movie as anything except a "family film." Such is the story with Anastasia - which has a mature, adult-like plot but some weaker moments for the kids which in the end distracts the viewer from the power of the film. It's almost as if an animated film must have people walking away smiling, ready to buy new Happy Meal toys. But, even when observing it in an adult frame of mind, it's still damn good as a distraction from ordinary, less stimulating films. It also serves as a reminder than animated features can indeed have a good amount of substance, and can genuinely stir your emotions.
In its most shallow moments, Anastasia is just a simple tale told well. In 1916, the Romanov family are celebrating their 300th anniversary as the ruling dynasty in Russia. The evil, party-crashing Rasputin (who sold his soul to the Devil) puts a curse on the Romanov's, and goes on a killing spree across the nation, slaughtering all members of the family except two. Anastasia (Meg Ryan) and her grandmother the Dowager Empress (Angela Landsbury) manage to escape the evil hands of Rasputin, but are separated along the way.
Flash forward ten years and Anastasia is 18 years old, with only glimpses of her tragic past. The Empress, now residing in Paris, is offering ten thousand dollars to anyone that can deliver her granddaughter to her. Anastasia joins con men Dmitri (John Cusak) and Vlad (Kelsey Grammer) on their trip to Paris. Meanwhile in the underworld, Rasputin learns that she is still alive, and hatches various plots to murder her.
The inevitable romance between Anastasia and Dmitri is the vehicle for many of the film's gags; but is also its emotional core. The relationship between these two characters is truly enticing, and a lot more interesting and mature than many of the recent animated romances. Perhaps this is why Anastasia can effectively appeal to adults - it works as a drama as much as it does a comedy. It's a film that you can imagine in a non-animated form, unlike Disney classics like Aladdin, The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Whilst many have dubbed Anastasia as simply an attempt for a different company to cash in on animated successes, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman have been careful not to mimic Disney films. Much to their credit, it looks, feels and sounds genuinely original, bar the occasional exception.
Most of Anastasia's duration is filled with healthy, skillful moments, but like most animated films it does have its flaws. Strangely, most of the scenes involving Rasputin fail to impress or innovate - making the viewer wish that he had never been included in the first place. Rasputin could have been a wonderfully complex, religious character but instead appears cliché and predictable; appearing every so often just so the heroes of the story could have someone to fight against.
If previous animated features have taught us anything, it's that there has to be a bad guy, a hero and a final confrontation. In fact, the only film of this type that I can think of that was not afraid to show complex scenes and characters was The Hunchback of Notre Damn, which I still regard as the best exhibit of film animation ever.
But in all fairness, Anastasia shouldn't be compared to all the other cartoon classics because, as I mentioned before, it does stand out as an original piece of work. And more than that - it's a beautiful, unexpectedly touching experience that will make you wonder how on Earth an animated film can be so moving.
If only Bluth and Goldman could have dared to forget the "family film" tradition and make a genuinely adult, mature film - perhaps then we would have a clear-cut masterpiece.
Review © copyright Luke Buckmaster
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