Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole wants to be a dark, mythic adventure for children. It mostly gets there, but the ambition outstrips the execution. Zack Snyder directs, and the result is a film that feels bigger than it is.
Trailer, via IMAX.
Soren’s Fall
The story opens in Tyto Forest, where Soren, a young barn owl, listens to his father’s tales of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole. His older brother Kludd grows jealous of Soren’s growing skill in flight. That jealousy triggers a fall from a branch, and the two brothers are attacked by a Tasmanian devil before being rescued and kidnapped by Jatt and Jutt, two owls who work for the Pure Ones.
The kidnapping sends Soren to St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls, led by Metalbeak and Nyra. There, owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers or pickers, the latter tasked with finding “flecks” — bits of magnetic metal used to build a superweapon. Kludd becomes a soldier while Soren and Gylfie, a fellow owl, become pickers.
Moon-Blinking and Escape
Soren and Gylfie resist the brainwashing process called “moon-blinking.” Grimble, a boreal owl who is not truly a Pure One, teaches them to fly and tells them to find the Great Tree of Ga’Hoole. Nyra finds out and kills him. Soren and Gylfie escape and soon meet Digger and Twilight.
In their hollow, Soren reunites with Mrs. P, a western blind snake who serves as his family’s nest maid. She agrees to join them and help find the Guardians. The group flies toward the sea of Hoolemere and reaches the shrine of the Guardians, guarded by an oracular echidna who helps them find the Island of Ga’Hoole.
The Storm and the Rescue
The journey is not smooth. A fierce snowstorm hits the group, and Digger’s wings freeze, causing him to fall into the sea. Two owls, Boron and Barran, king and queen of the Guardians, save them and lead them to the Great Tree of Ga’Hoole. Soren tells the Guardians about the Pure Ones’ plans.
Voice Work
The cast delivers strong performances across the board. Jim Sturgess voices Soren with warmth and determination. Ryan Kwanten voices Kludd with a colder edge. Helen Mirren voices Nyra with menace. Geoffrey Rush voices Ezylryb with dignity. Emily Barclay voices Gylfie with charm. Abbie Cornish voices Otulissa with grace. Anthony LaPaglia voices Twilight with gravitas. Miriam Margolyes voices Mrs. Plithiver with wit. Sam Neill voices Allomere. Richard Roxburgh voices Boron. Joel Edgerton voices Metalbeak.
The Changes
Critics praised the film’s dark tone, animation, and voice acting, but they criticized the changes made to the source material. The book series by Kathryn Lasky is darker and more complex than the film allows. The movie trims the political depth of the Pure Ones’ world and flattens some of the characters’ arcs.
Release Dates
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| North America | September 24, 2010 |
| Australia | September 30, 2010 |
The film was released in RealD 3D and IMAX 3D. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, and it was accompanied by a new 3D Looney Tunes cartoon called Fur of Flying.
The Numbers
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- Budget: not stated in the source
- Worldwide gross: $140.1 million
- Cast: Jim Sturgess, Ryan Kwanten, Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Barclay, Abbie Cornish, Anthony LaPaglia, Miriam Margolyes, Sam Neill, Richard Roxburgh, Joel Edgerton, David Wenham
- Producers: Village Roadshow Pictures and Animal Logic
Our View
The film’s strengths are visual. The animation is sharp, and the flight sequences are genuinely thrilling. The voice work carries the emotional weight that the script sometimes fails to deliver.
The weaknesses are structural. The middle stretch drags, and some subplots feel unfinished. The film rushes its villains into caricature rather than letting them breathe.
Key Facts
– Title: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole
– Director: Zack Snyder
– Writers: John Orloff, Emil Stern
– Runtime: 97 minutes
– Worldwide gross: $140.1 million
– Score: 5.3/10
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