Titan A.E.

Synopsis
Spectacular animation, combining two- and three-dimensional techniques with stunning special effects, is TITAN A.E.'s mark of distinction. Directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (ANASTASIA) make their first foray into science fiction with this film, which is the first U.S.-produced animated science fiction film in more than 20 years.

The story is a classic bildungsroman, following the journey of Cale, a young man who holds the destiny of humankind in his hand--literally. Opening with the stunning destruction of earth as seen from space, the film launches the audience into a seamlessly imagined universe in which the alien Drej have turned humans into homeless émigrés, searching desperately for a new world. Cale (voiced by Matt Damon) is haunted by the legacy of his father, who abandoned him but created the spaceship Titan, which holds the key to the new home of humankind. With the plan for Titan imprinted in his hand, Cale is swept from a life of lonely drudgery devoid of female companionship into the colorful crew of mysterious Captain Korso (voiced by Bill Pullman). On the Valkyrie ship, Cale enjoys Korso's crew, including the kind, beautiful, and expert woman pilot Akima (voiced by Drew Barrymore) along with a strange but fascinating band of aliens.

Production Notes
TITAN A.E. was shown on June 6, 2000, at an all-digital premiere in Atlanta, Georgia, via distribution over the Internet to a digital projector. Twentieth Century Fox became the first Hollywood studio to distribute a film in wholly digital format.

TITAN A.E. is the second full-length animated film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. They had previously collaborated on the animated film ANASTASIA.

Joss Whedon, creator of the TV series BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL, worked on the TITAN A.E. screenplay at night, after BUFFY episodes finished shooting.

Rapper Tone Loc contributed his voice to a character.

Writers John August, Joss Whedon, Ben Edlund, and Randall McCormick are responsible for the screenplay, which is designed to appeal to both teen and adult moviegoers.

The imaginative settings and thrilling action sequences are the creations of Fox's own animation studios, Blue Sky Studios, and Persistence of Vision Digital Entertainment.

Reviews
"...This handsomely designed intergalactic adventure could be described as Son of STAR WARS..." (New York Times)

"...Visually impressive..." (USA Today)

"...A smartly packaged, brightly colored pop entertainment....More all-out action than any previous American animated feature..." (Hollywood Reporter)

"...Enjoyable..." (Total Film)

"...TITAN A.E. does an excellent job of using computer-generated effects to create a vast and wondrous outer-space world..." (Los Angeles Times)

"...A film that uses the freedom of animation to visualize the strangeness of the universe in ways live action cannot duplicate....There are moments when the movie even stirs a little awe..." (Chicago Sun-Times)

"[With] a mixture of quasi-psychedelic prettiness and real edge-of-your-seat dramatic stuff." (Uncut)