Emily Barclay (Gylfie), Abbie Cornish (Otulissa), Essie Davis (Marella), Adrienne DeFaria (Eglantine), Joel Edgerton (Metal Beak), Deborra-Les Fumes (Barran), Sacha Horler (Strix Struma), Bill Hunter (Bubo), Ryan Kwanten (Kludd), Anthony LaPaglia (Twilight), Miriam Margolyes (Mrs. Plithiver), Helen Mirren (Nyra), Sam Neill (Allomere), Barry Otto (Echidna) and Richard Roxburgh (Boron).
Soren always spoke of the legend, guardians of the skies, sworn to protect the innocent and vanquish the evil but little did he know one day he would not only tell the tales of the legends to his family but actually he himself become one.
While Mrs. P, and snake that lives with the owls takes care of their baby sister, brothers Soren and Kludd venture at night to learn the flight of silence but along the way they end up on the ground, the worse place for an owl. Soon they are taken by the pure ones to St. Aggies where along with others captured some are trained as warriors and some as pickers. The pickers are hypnotized from the moon and forced to remove pieces of metal from pellets which are used with the assistance of bats as a weapon. A weapon to be used to destroy the Guardians but with the help of Grimble, Soren and his new found friends travel on a journey across the sea in search of Ga’Hoole to tell them of the evil that soon will attack on their home land.
Life on Ga’Hoole is full of harmony where all the members have chores and tranquility flows through the leaves of their home unlike the darkness and horrors that fill the air amongst the lands of St. Aggies. When Soren alerts the noble wise owls of the eminent attack his mentor and the others soon fly in pursuit but little do they know what fate awaits them. Soren, the only one left that can help fight the evil, help his sister, find his brother who has become a warrior with the evil ones and restore good among the lands flies to the rescue after learning of the trap that the guardians have fallen into.
The story is brilliant with a few holes but none that truly affect the beauty of this well directed, written and executed story about a fantastical world of owls. The filmography is magnificent and almost spiritual in a sense bringing a feel of euphoria while watching this wonderfully scored 3D movie. At first I was a bit concerned of a story about owls, not knowing anything about the novels but much to my surprise this was truly a beautiful film. It may be a bit dark and terrifying for some of the much younger audience during the actual battle scenes but overall in a somewhat take on survival of the fittest in the wild it is not too far from the truth. A perfect timing of 90 minutes, phenomenal special effects and voiced work by the actors, this story is truly worth seeing on the big screen but beware that some of the action moments can be a bit sensitive for those young at heart but then again life and death is part of all the species within our world. Reporting, I’m Jon Patch.
