Leave it to Warner Brothers (creators of the Looney Tunes) to create an animated film to rival mega-giant Disney. The legend of Camelot comes to cartoon life as Excalibur, sword of King Arthur, is stolen by an exiled Round Table knight named Ruber in a bid for the throne.

Kayley, daughter of a knight killed by Ruber, embarks on a mission to find Excalibur and warn King Arthur of Ruber's evil plot. In the forest, where the sword is believed to be -- having been dropped there by the Griffin, the creature Ruber had sent to steal it -- Kayley meets up with Garrett, a young man who was blinded as a child. He agrees to help her find Arthur's weapon.

On the surface, Quest for Camelot is just another cartoon adventure with typical characters (with one unforgettably comical creature thrown in), an epic journey, a love story, and a climax involving battle with the seemingly unstoppable villain. It is all of these things, but this moovie seemed to have something more. A certain spark, a kind of zest that set it apart from films like The Land Before Time or even some Disney films. Perhaps it was the recognizability of the voices (like Eric Idle and Don Rickles as the two-headed dragon), or the way some of the jokes were ones only an adult might get (BladeBeak says, at one point, "Do you feel clucky, punk?"). I can't quite place it, but I know it was there.

As to the music, the soundtrack boasts Celine Dion, Bryan White, Gary Oldman (who sings as the vile Ruber), and even LeAnn Rimes and Journey's Steve Perry offer their voices for the Pop versions of two songs (Perry sings King Arthur as well). I did, of course, buy the soundtrack.

This movie is rated G, though it contains some violence.

SCORE: 8.5 Warner brothers is off to a good start in the animation department. If future offerings maintain this quality, Disney might be in for a fight. Highly Recommended!
Return to top