Dragon Hunters

You know the school holidays are here when kiddie flicks begin popping up in cinemas.
On paper, what sets the computer-animated Dragon Hunters apart is that it hails from Europe and is based on the French TV animated series of the same name created by Arthur Qwak, who co-writes and co-directs the film.
It also boasts Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker as the voice of the hero Lian-Chu.
Not that this would matter one whit to the target audience.
The quest is straightforward. The big and strong Lian-Chu, Gwizdo, his childhood friend, and Hector, their pet dragon which acts like a little dog, have to go to the ends of the earth to destroy the terrifying monster, World Gobbler.
They are accompanied by Zoe, a talkative little girl who believes that she has found in Lian-Chu the heroic knight of her fantasies.
What lifts the film from its formulaic set-up are the lovely visuals as the story takes place in a world which is literally disintegrating.
While the vistas of floating, drifting land masses are reminiscent of computer games, the big-screen effect is both whimsical and gorgeous. So this one is not just for kids.
(ST)