Vratar galaktiki

It's a shame this doesn't have higher ratings. This is a fun and very well-done roller-coaster ride.

Suspend all disbelief and recognize: This is a Russian film translated into English voice-over (decent enough job) . It is aimed as a family film (not cerebral fiction), and it is intended to be a FUN ROMP. Demanding more or trying to jam this film into one's personal little mold isn't fair to the genre.

I can be very critical of films that fail to achieve their purpose. This one achieves what it set out to achieve-- a fun film with a moral or two to leave with the young ones: people make mistakes. We can bounce back from those mistakes if we try, if we don't give up. Such a story (although seen before) is worth repeating.

The CGI and action sequences in this are nothing less than stellar. Yes the story can be a little goofy in places, but so what? This movie is a thrill from the first moment to the last. Okay, the plot is more than a little cliche: bad guy tries to take over the universe, heroes jobs to stop him. It's not like it's alone with such quirks. But did it do it well?

The villain and his daughter are excellently portrayed, the hero is properly flawed, the heroine displays loyalty, and it teaches younger ones to accept aliens as part of the family. The Amazonians were likeable and gorgeous, and the varied other races fascinating. On that concept alone it deserves a few extra stars.

In general this is quite a good movie... if a person will allow it to be. So let's put down the critical red pens, sit back, grab the popcorn and dare to ENJOY just for the fun of it. :D.