Sinbad: Look, this is the way it works. First, I actually commit a crime, then you get to blame me for it!

I'm from the generation of movie-goers who grew up on Harryhausen epics like "Sinbad" and "Jason and the Argonauts" and I also grew up on classic animation, Max Fleischer, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Robert McKimson, you name it. For those who think hand-drawn animation is on its way to becoming obsolete, they haven't given hand-drawn animation a chance to see what it can show, and instead flock to the latest bland offering from "Disney" with their computer animated spectacles and merchandising. "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" was poorly advertised thus performing poorly at the box-office and it's a shame. For a story with such texture I enjoyed myself with this more than I ever have with any of the Pixar/Disney offerings can muster up.

It's a shame that people have so willingly and easily shut themselves off from hand-drawn animation, because the concept of animation is moving hand-drawn art, and these days I consider it an immense talent to draw. Anyone can operate a computer, anyone can draw on a computer, but to draw on a sheet of paper and create a character with detail and depth and personality? Well, you're an artist in my eyes.

"Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" is an epic with a great cast, and quite an enjoyable one with excellent hand-drawn animation that rivals anything I've seen before. It's sleek, it's stylish and hell, it's damn entertaining. It's a large adventure I'd rather show to any kid than show them than the shallow comedic tales from Disney. People have this mentality that if it ain't computer animated and or if it isn't processed from Disney studios then there's not really a point in watching it, thus they give up and don't bother to watch it.

This is one of the most exciting animated films in years and it's a shame it never got its due at the box-office. In yet another adaptation of the mythological tale, we meet Sinbad (Brad Pitt: Ocean's Eleven, Seven) and his band of pirates who all specialize in something. Sinbad is a master thief and want the book of peace to sell, but on his way to take it he clashes with his old friend Proteus (Joseph Fiennes: Enemy at the Gates, Shakespeare in Love) who wants the book as well but for more noble purposes. The two have at it, but the goddess of discord Eris (Michelle Pfeiffer: Batman Returns, Wolf) captures Sinbad and makes him an offer: Take the book of peace and bring it to her and she'll grant him paradise and luxury for his remaining years. Tempted by the greed Sinbad takes the offer unaware of Eris' true intentions for him.

While at the palace of Proteus, Eris frames Sinbad morphing in his form and taking the book of peace to where Sinbad is imprisoned and put to death. Convinced that his friend is innocent, Proteus takes Sinbad's place in jail and now Sinbad has ten days to return with the book and prove his innocence or else Proteus dies. Sinbad takes another route intent on running away but his ship is crashed by the beautiful feisty princess Marina (Catherine Zeta Jones: The Mask of Zorro, Intolerable Cruelty) who intends on going on the voyage with him making sure he stands by his word. Now they must travel to the gates of Tartarus and steal back the book while on a deadline.

I'm a fan of fantasy stories, I'm a fan of Sinbad because he's such an excellent character, and I'm especially a fan of the old Harryhausen flicks in which pirates and thieves and sailors took on mythological beasts, and I as many a generation were influenced by Harryhausen's creatures thus creating a new age of fantasy storytellers. I still love animation to this day because it's great escapist fare and is great comfort food. The things people have been able to do with animation is astounding so I was optimistic about "Sinbad''s great appeal towards me. While much of the other critics declared this as bland and un-original, I found it completely opposite of what they'd dismissed it as. "Sinbad" has more texture towards storytelling, and more adventure.

With 'Sinbad", immediately there's a massive history of characters and creatures and swordplay that hasn't been seen in Disney's films which have very flashy computer animation but little story texture for children to become involved with and no heroes to root for. The animation is something to admire with fluid and stylish action scenes including a great duel between Proteus and Sinbad aboard a ship, and incredible effects regarding Eris and her fluid-like in motion hair which waves and swerves along the air. Eris is a rather menacing villain despite the fact that we barely see any of her and most of the obstacles is derived of creatures set up to give Sinbad and the characters trouble including the always faithful giant octopus, and a giant snow falcon which comes after Eris freezes the sea stranding the crew.

The voice work is good here with top-notch actors doing what they set out to do. Brad Pitt is appropriate for the gallant anti-hero/thief Sinbad who's often confronted with calamity after calamity and always comes out unscathed despite being a thief, Joseph Fiennes is appropriate as the trim and proper Proteus set to gain the throne and protect the kingdom despite his torrid past. The chemistry between the two actors is fluid and it's entertaining to watch them jabber back and forth. Michelle Pfeiffer is delicious as the sexy enchantress Eris, the goddess of discord who tempts Sinbad successfully and watches through her little globes tampering with their journey.

Catherine Zeta Jones is very fun as the feisty heroine Marina who gives Sinbad a hard time and gains the respect of the fawning crew who obey her beckoned call because she's so beautiful. Along with the great acting there are some truly good action scenes including the fight with the giant octopus, the crew's entry into the gates of tartarus and, my favorite, the crew's confrontation with the siryns in which Marina must come to the rescue. "Sinbad" has a lot of heart for a film that received such little reception and appreciation. Simply, it does what it sets out to do, provides great entertainment and escapist fare for kids, and for anyone looking for a break from the onslaught of computer animation and Disney toting.

I'm was never interested in the romance forced upon us in this film; I mean, I saw the whole storyline between Marina and Sinbad to be not only so predictable, but bland, and horribly trite and cliché. They like each other, then they fight like crazy though they really like one another and can't admit it, but then it goes on and on. Was there really a need to include such a recycled plotline in the mix?

Either way, aside from the obligatory romance there's also the obligatory goofy character ala Spike, the bulldog with a heart of gold. I never really warmed up to his presence though I'm sure the children went hog wild for him, there's no need for him as well, he "Disney's" up the entire film without serving a lot of purpose other than the blatant reason of why he's in the film, simply to make the kids laugh but in the process makes Sinbad and the other characters less and less interesting.

With that there's the villain Eris who is not only an immense rip-off of Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" but while menacing is bland and has little to nothing to do. While she does become a presence to instill chaos into Sinbad's voyage you hardly ever see her do much. Pfeiffer who sounds like she had fun with the role is rarely ever shown giving large monologues or really pushing Sinbad's buttons throughout the story which is hardly ever an epic. I'm not even sure if she should be considered a villain either way.

Why this wasn't a big hit with children and at the box-office I will never be able to understand, but despite its flaws, this is a fun well-acted piece of escapist fare with action, romance, adventure, and monsters galore. What more can you ask for?

• Russell Crowe originally signed up for the title role, but in the fall of 2001 he was replaced by Brad Pitt because he was too busy working on another project.
• In order to get a U rating (same as an American G) the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) requires that 12 seconds featuring a head-butt had to be removed. An uncut 12 years and upwards rating would be the lowest that would allow the head-butt to be kept in.
• In the original legend, Sinbad is from Baghdad, not Greece.
• Brad Pitt and Catherine Zeta-Jones did not meet until the premiere.
• Spike, Sinbad's dog, was more popular in a screen test than Sinbad himself, so the filmmakers added in seven new Spike scenes before the film was released.
• In the scene in which the entire crew, including Spike, is loosing their lunch after traveling at top speeds you can hear a man say, "Hey, where did he get the carrot?" According to the filmmakers, that line was a joke someone said during story production that made everyone groan so much that they decided to put it in the movie.
   

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