Abominable

This sweetly simplistic DreamWorks Animation co-production with Shanghai-based Pearl Studio is obviously designed to appeal to family-friendly audiences in the ever-growing Far East market. In China, a young, white-furred, blue-eyed yeti escapes from the clutches of billionaire explorer/wild animal collector Mr. Burnish (voiced by Eddie Izzard), hiding on a rooftop where he recognizes a billboard advertising trips to Mt. Everest. The yeti is discovered by teenager Yi (Chloe Bennet), a scrappy violin prodigy who yearns to travel and uses the rooftop as her hideaway. Yi lives in an apartment below with her strict, widowed mother (Michelle Wong) and feisty, dumpling-making grandmother (Tsai Chin). Soon, Yi and two pals—nerdy basketball-enthusiast Peng (Albert Tsai) and his appearance-obsessed, med-school cousin Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor, whose real-life Sherpa grandfather guided Sir Edmund Hillary up Mt. Everest)—embark on a mission to return the yeti, who they call “Everest,” to his family and rightful home in the Himalayas. Traveling from the streets of Shanghai across the Gobi Desert to Sichuan’s Leshan Giant Buddha, they are doggedly pursued by Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson), a British zoologist working for entrepreneurial Burnish, who is determined to prove that the yeti is not a mythical beast. Along the way, Everest demonstrates some surprising, nature-connected magical powers which he summons with a low, rumbling hum that sounds like Mongolian throat singers. Filmmaker Jill Culton fills the familiar, formulaic narrative with plenty of physical humor, amusing one-liners, and imaginative imagery. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary from crew members, a “How to Draw” collection of tutorials (21 min.), deleted scenes (11 min.), a “Meet the Cast” segment (9 min.), the shorts “Marooned” (8 min.) and “Show & Tell” (3 min.), and the production featurettes “Making a Myth (Movie)” (7 min.), “Animating Abominable” (5 min.), “An Abominable Tour with Chloe Bennet” with the voice actress (5 min.), “Everest’s Talk Box” (5 min.), “Cooking with Nai Nai” (4 min.), “How to Make a Chinese Lantern” (4 min.), “You Can Speak Yeti-Ese” (4 min.), “Your Yeti Care Guide” (3 min.), “Courage to Dream” (3 min.), and “Nai Nai Says” (2 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a decent if not exceptional family film.] (S. Granger)