Abominable: Movie Review

DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s co-production Abominable takes audiences on an epic 2,000-mile adventure from the streets of Shanghai to the breathtaking Himalayan snowscapes. 

When teenage Yi (Chloe Bennett, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) encounters the Yeti (whom she later names “Everest”) on the roof of her apartment building in Shanghai, she knows she must help him return home to the highest point in the Himalayas. Yi and Everest are joined on their cross-country journey by Yi’s two friends, Jin and Peng. Jin serves as the voice of reason on their perilous journey and Peng as the comic relief. The trio and their young Yeti friend are hunted by zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson, Ocean's 8) and her greedy boss Burnish (Eddie Izzard, Green Eggs and Ham), who gear up to stop at nothing to recapture their prey. 

As Yi grieves the recent death of her father, Everest yearns for the comfort of his family. It is this shared longing for connection which instantly bonds the two and seals an unspoken promise to help each other return home. 

This family-friendly pic features elements you would expect, including sight gags and a few “potty” jokes. But it has a more amusing humor than what sometimes saturates kids’ films, utilizing slap-stick physical comedy between Everest and Peng and the sassy wisdom of Yi’s beloved grandmother Nai Nai.  

Abominable shines in its nature-focused scenery. Everest’s magical powers produce larger-than-life blueberries, waves of golden fields, and the stunning visuals of the aurora borealis. An oddly placed 2005 Coldplay tune adds little to the soundtrack, but the beauty of the accompanying scene helps viewers to quickly overcome the interruption. 

One thing Christian viewers should know - because the story is set in China, there are scenes which show elements of Buddhism. This is important to Yi’s story but it is not the focal point of the film. 

Though a bit formulaic and broad-reaching in order to achieve the greatest audience diversity, Abominable successfully tackles themes of grief, family, evil, redemption, and even ecological conservancy. But most of all it shows how you can find family and home wherever you are.