Khumba (animated - Liam Neeson, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne)

[cinemaphile]

South Africa’s Triggerfish Animation Studios has added the voice talent of Steve Buscemi and The Good Wife’s Anika Noni Rose to its 3D animated feature, Khumba. They join Liam Neeson, Laurence Fishburne, AnnaSophia Robb, Jake T. Austin, Loretta Devine and Richard E. Grant. Khumba tells the story of a half-striped Zebra who is blamed for a severe drought by his herd. He teams up with a sassy wildebeest and a self-obsessed ostrich to go in search of the magic waterhole where legend has it the first zebras got their stripes and meets an array of wacky characters on the adventure.

....a mismatched group of wild animals on a trek meeting wacky characters along the way. So.... Madagascar 4?

This feels like some straight-to-video D-list dreck, but it's got some major names attached now, even if only in supporting roles, so obviously it's a theatrical release.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

....a mismatched group of wild animals on a trek meeting wacky characters along the way. So.... Madagascar 4?

This feels like some straight-to-video D-list dreck, but it's got some major names attached now, even if only in supporting roles, so obviously it's a theatrical release.

You did catch the "South Africa produced" line?
Steve Buscemi, maybe, Liam Neeson definitely, but wait, there's a quickie star-dubbed import animated, and Val Kilmer and Jennifer Love Hewitt AREN'T doing voices for it?

(I remember one African company doing an import animated folktale just to thumb their nose at The Lion King: "Our animals act like real animals!"
I suspect that pride does not quite extend to overseas Madagascar-mania. Still, the female Queen Latifah hippo is conspicuously absent.)

[esteban²]

The reaction of my six-year-old niece: "Beautiful! Is there a second one?" That's the first thing that came into her mind. Thought that was funny. Growing up in a world of sequels, prequels and spin-offs, she just assumes there's more of this. The fact that she wanted to see another Khumba, says it all. If she knew what a rating was, she would choose 4 shiny stars out of her stickerbox right away, no doubt.

I believe Triggerfish Animation Studios has potential. Movement is flawless, backgrounds are far above mediocre the whole running time and the details show us there's nothing wrong with the quality of the animation itself. So, while the character design of some sidekicks feels uninspired, it's actually a joy to watch Khumba in the short scene where he discovers the world of insects under his feet.

With better writers and a director with a stronger vision, this could have been a great tale suited for the whole family, all ages. However, if you're not between four and seven years old, there's not much going on that's able to surprise us. I enjoyed the fact the movie wasn't loaded with action and jokes just because it's possible. But on the other hand it wouldn't hurt to give it the extra push it needed at all. Now it's just for the little ones. From what I've heard, so was Zambezia.

If the South African studio finds the right people to create the right balance on that level, I would look forward to their upcoming adaptation of Here Be Monsters. For now, I'm not sure.

PS: Just found out there will be a sequel for Khumba. Someone will be thrilled.