Quest for Camelot is a well-animated entry in the Disneyoid sweepstakes. It looks like Disney; it sounds like Disney; but on closer examination the illusion falls apart. Still, kids don't seem to mind copycats and the British-American Quest for Camelot is better-written than many of Disney's OAVs. It's also easily as enjoyable as lesser Disney theatrical releases like Hercules or Fox and the Hound - and in some ways, it's better. Carping on the derivative nature of such a film is narrow-minded, but pointing out how the Disneyoid elements clash with the story makes for good criticism.
Kaylee, the film's heroine, resembles Belle so closely that your kids probably thought that Quest for Camelot was a sequel to Beauty and the Beast. Same hairstyle, same face, same oversized eyes - but a different wardrobe. Like Belle, she has a habit of breaking out in Broadway-style numbers. Unlike Belle, her outbursts do not relate to the plot. Example: after learning of her father's death, we witness a series of dissolves which age Kaylee from child to young woman, at which point she sings an incredibly upbeat song that could have served as the theme for a Mary Tyler Moore sitcom. Given the Disneyoid nature of the movie, the sequence also contains several tips of the hat to The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. It's to be seen to be believed.
Not all of the film is Disneyesque. The Two-Headed Dragon (voiced by Eric Idle and Don Rickles) has a hilarious musical scene, and several of the other monsters in the film manage to stretch the limits of standard Disney design. While some might compare the Two-Headed Dragon to Robin Williams' Genie, it should be pointed out that the Genie owed less to classic Disney sidekicks than to Warner Brothers cartoons. Most of the plot strays far from the standard Disney love story as well - there are no fantasy ballroom sequence or dashing princes to be found. The love interest in the story is Garrett, one of the most positive portrayals of a blind man in any movie, and another departure from the Disney formula. He's more interesting than the heroes in most Disney films, partly because he is more human. There is also a decent pop music soundtrack to the film featuring Andrea Bocelli, Leanne Rimes, Steve Perry, and Celine Dion, quite an improvement over the sort of musical talent Disney uses in its OAVs. Many of the songs are memorable in a way that recent Disney soundtracks (like Pochohantas or Hunchback) are not.
It's a shame these elements aren't woven together tightly, but enough of the film works to make it enjoyable. If the screenplay and character designs had gone through just one more editing session, this could've been a strong challenge to Disney.
Quest for Camelot didn't ignite the box office when released in 1998, and it pales next to the great animation accomplishments of that year (A Bug's Life, Mulan, Prince of Egypt). That doesn't make it a bad film, however. It's enjoyable, doesn't strive to be hip, and probably deserves your attention for at least an afternoon. It may not be the best animated film of the year, but that says more about the high standards of 1999 than it does about Camelot.
 |
Other NonAnime Reviews Titan A.E. Review Gotham Girls Review* Sleeping Beauty Review * Jackie Chan Adventures Review Return of the Joker Review* |
Get your ownFree Home Page