It’s an epic cast, there’s no denying that.  It’s raging battles, a loathsome villain, even kiddie comic relief, but is it the first animated blockbuster of the summer season? Hmmm…

Ok, it’s totally decent and will make a good buck (certainly not unseating the current big flicks) but for all its’ good, there’s something missing stopping it from being truly epic.

Fox animation is kicking off the summer animated season first (look for Despicable Me 2, Turbo & others coming later) with an all star cast including Amanda Seyfried, Beyonce, Steve Tyler of Aerosmith fame – even Pitbull & Jason Sudeikis.  Al slung together as characters ranging from human to insect battling it out for the future of a lush and alive forest (or is it the main characters backyard?)

Seyfried stars as Mary Katherine or MK.  Recently moved in with her estranged father (Sudeikis) whose convinced of a miniature living world within the forest (even though his ex wife and the rest of us are skeptical to put it mildly).  Magically transported to the miniature world, MK gets caught up in a battle between the dark forces of the forest led by Mandrake (voiced wonderfully by Christoph Waltz) and the future forest fighters led by Ronin (Colin Farrell).  Apparently the forest lives or dies based on the principle of a newly budding flower which must be protected and allowed light at very precise time.  Mandrake is determined to stop it from blooming in light while MK and Ronin and the rag-tag crew of zany characters via the voice cast manage ways to keep it out of darkness.

The problem I had with Epic is that it had the chance to be epic, but it floated between appealing to kids, tweens and adults with its themes and that’s where it will lose out long term.  You’ll enjoy the 3D, and Beyonce’s voice is mesmerizing but the kids may lose focus in the 3^rd act.

C+