Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (3D)

3 stars out of 5

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole may indeed have been brought to you by the people who brought you Happy Feet, but it is not a happy animated film in any sense except that (I can't imagine this is a spoiler for anyone over the age of 10) the good guys win in the end. It was dark physically, and I honestly don't think you can chalk it up simply to the 3D glasses (I know "dark" is an increasing criticism of 3D, but it hasn't been a problem for me). It was also a dark (and unduly complicated) plot, compounded by a lot of names of characters and places that were so foreign I had trouble sorting them out or keeping them straight. The animation was impressive, as almost all computer animation is these days; watching the water hitting the head of the flying owl is worth the price of admission--almost. See it in a theater if you want the full effect, or save a few bucks and wait to rent it, or save even more and don't rent it. If you loved the book, or are fascinated by 3D or computer animation, take a look. Otherwise, give it a pass.