Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010 Movie Review)

Legends were not only for the desperate. Legends were for the brave.

-Kathryn Lasky

I'll start with the negatives. I think this movie tries to do too much in its 1hr and half runtime. I think bits of it felt rushed / under explained. You're in this world of owls and a lot of it should be world building.

It really needed to be 2 hours to make us feel these huge plot elements. To really delve into these characters.

The plotline of the metal flecks making the owls feel sick was super confusing. I only know what it is cause I've watched interviews with Kathryn Lasky.

I think some of the humor was a big forced. Not all of it. But a lot of it. The books are quite serious in tone. The whole world of Ga'Hoole is a dark one. This isn't Little Mermaid. It's more like Watership Down.

This is one where I hope Netflix takes notice and makes it a show. There's certainly enough material.

But those are my two big negatives. Which still warrants a 4 star movie.

I'm re-reading The Owls of Ga'Hoole now at 32. The books are fun, have good messages about fighting oppression (not like we need to worry about fighting oppression in the real world, right? Hehe) The idea of battle-armored owls is badass. The novels ring more true today than they ever have before.

And this film was such a joy. Visually? It surpasses a lot of modern animation. I watched this on Blu-ray with my home theater set up? Wow! The slow motion fights with owls battling through snow and rain? Pure Zack Snyder and it really felt like an epic tale.

The story here is quite like most fantasy stories. A young man (owl) has dreams of becoming a warrior. He hears legends of the Guardians. These noble owls who defend the weak and fight evil.

But then the plot takes a really unique turn.

The villains are this group of Nazi-like soldiers who want to 'purify' young owls to join their cult. The evil owls run this sort of camp called St. Aggies: Academy for Orphaned Owls.

And I love this angle for the villains. They talk all sweet, about 'finding your place' when your parents have died. But really they want this vision of perfection. Weeding out the disabled, the 'odd ones'. Chilling. But clever motives for baddies.

Soren didn't lose his parents. Instead he was abducted. And the rest of the film chronicles his escape and eventually meeting the Guardians.

I love the character and guardian of Ezlryb the most.

Soren meets him and tells him he's his idol. That he's heard the stories humorous times from his Da.

Ezylrib is this old, cranky scarred owl. Tired and bruised from wars of years past. Soren learns that battles and fighting for good isn't glamorous. Meeting your heroes is often a reality check. They're not these shining individuals. They're like everyone else. And yet he still has the power to do good and inspire.

Soren grows quite a bit through the story. From being naive to being a full on soldier.

He lost his brother, Kludd to the Pure Ones. Kludd goes from being a dick brother, to being an all out owl fascist. And the change in him is so sad. But so true. Like losing a loved one to a cult of hate. And Soren tries so many times to save him. But doesn't.

But that is what the story is. It's a fantasy / epic that really is a metaphor for cultism. How evil can easily win when good people do nothing.

But it's told in a way that inspires. It's not bloody and it's not full of sadness, it's a YA movie so it can't show that kind of horror. Which is good! Not all movies need to be R-rated. It's re-watchable.

As Ezlryb, the one eyed soldier says- it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to fight through tyranny. It's not pretty. It's not glorious. We fight because it's right.

The idea that legends and dreams are okay to have. As long as you use them to further empathy. To make one feel like there is hope in a dark world.