First things first - in animation terms, "Alpha and Omega" isn't in the Pixar league. Or the DreamWorks league. In fact, it's not that far above the "Jakers! The Adventures Of Piggley Winks" league... which kind of fits, since the movie seems more suited to the small screen than the big.
The animation (done in Mumbai, not Japan, contrary to one previous reviewer) is sadly suited to the script; never really surprising and pretty derivative - the climax manages to rip off "The Lion King" (fathers trapped in a stampede), "Jurassic Park" (they're protected by a tree) AND "Far And Away" (the camera pulls back up away from Kate and zooms back down - it's her spirit going up to wolf heaven and coming back into her, get it?) -, the story's conclusion is foretold from the beginning and though it's got its moments, there aren't really enough to make it a must. The howling scenes are always good value, the cast tries with what they have, and there's a welcome lack of pop culture references and romantic ballads over the credits - but while it's not unwatchable and never really terrible, this probably isn't the screen farewell Dennis Hopper fans had in mind.
The movie would have gotten a 4/10, but it's raised to 5 because of a) the effects work of the clouds at the beginning and end (Digital Domain are featured in the end credits. Hmmm...), b) the aforementioned night howls, and c) it being less lame than the last animated movie Hayden Panettiere lent her perky little voice to which got a proper theatrical release, since "Hoodwinked Too" is still stuck on the shelf ("Dinosaur").
The animation (done in Mumbai, not Japan, contrary to one previous reviewer) is sadly suited to the script; never really surprising and pretty derivative - the climax manages to rip off "The Lion King" (fathers trapped in a stampede), "Jurassic Park" (they're protected by a tree) AND "Far And Away" (the camera pulls back up away from Kate and zooms back down - it's her spirit going up to wolf heaven and coming back into her, get it?) -, the story's conclusion is foretold from the beginning and though it's got its moments, there aren't really enough to make it a must. The howling scenes are always good value, the cast tries with what they have, and there's a welcome lack of pop culture references and romantic ballads over the credits - but while it's not unwatchable and never really terrible, this probably isn't the screen farewell Dennis Hopper fans had in mind.
The movie would have gotten a 4/10, but it's raised to 5 because of a) the effects work of the clouds at the beginning and end (Digital Domain are featured in the end credits. Hmmm...), b) the aforementioned night howls, and c) it being less lame than the last animated movie Hayden Panettiere lent her perky little voice to which got a proper theatrical release, since "Hoodwinked Too" is still stuck on the shelf ("Dinosaur").