Kaena: The Prophecy

Release Date: June 25, 2004
Limited release

Homer Simpson is in the other sensory deprivation chamber.

On the Big Board
Position Staff In Brief
51/92 David Mumpower As glittering and shiny but wholly useless as an uncut gem.
102/126 Kim Hollis Deadly dull and not really all that impressive animation-wise, either.

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The first ever European CGI-animated feature and France's answer to North American CGI flicks like Toy Story, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Ice Age, Kaena: The Prophecy will receive a limited release stateside. Probably only of real interest to hardcore animation fans, the film features voice work by a compendium of well-known actors, including Kirsten Dunst, who has previously given voice to animated characters such as Becky Thatcher in The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Kiki in Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.

A futuristic sci-fi tale set in a "tree world" named Axis, the people of the planet become endangered when the giant tree that is their source of life comes dangerously close to running out of sap. All efforts to appeal to the gods are in vain, but a young woman named Kaena has had strange visions that convince her that the tree is calling to her for help. Against all of her tribes taboos and the supreme authority of the Grand Priest, the rebellious Kaena leaves her village to journey to Axis's deepest roots.

As she comes down from the clouds, she meets a tribe known as the Selenites. Led by a queen (Anjelica Huston), this race is attempting to keep the tree from dying as well, but their means of doing so are less than noble. They have enslaved another race. Can Kaena help all of the peoples by discovering what has caused the tree's distress?

According to the director, this project was over seven years in the making and was created on a budget of $27 million. It opened in France last year and has received only middling reviews, partly for its story and partly for its already nearly outdated animation style. Nonetheless, it should be a film of interest for fans of independent and foreign cinema for its place in the CGI-animation hierarchy. (Kim Hollis/BOP)




Vital statistics for Kaena: The Prophecy
Main Cast Kirsten Dunst, Richard Harris, Anjelica Huston
Supporting Cast Keith David, Michael McShane, Greg Proops
Director Pascal Pinon, Chris Delaporte
Screenwriter Tarik Hamdine, Chris Delaporte
Distributor Samuel Goldwyn Co.
Trailer Click Here for Trailer
Official Site http://www.kaena-the-prophecy.com/
Rating PG-13
Running Time 81 minutes
Screen Count 1
Talent in red has entry in The Big Picture



Comparison films for Kaena: The Prophecy
Title
Date
Opening
Adjusted Opening
Screens
PSA
Adj PSA
Total BO
Adjusted Total
Mult
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 7/13/0111.41 12.17 2649 4307.00 4421.3 32.13 34.29 2.15
Spirited Away 9/20/020.45 0.46 26 17302.00 17302.0 9.96 10.35 22.13
Princess Mononoke 10/29/990.14 0.16 8 18056.00 20615.1 2.30 2.74 15.91


     


 
 

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