France, Canada · 2003
Rated PG-13 · 1h 25m
Director Chris Delaporte, Pascal Pinon
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Cécile de France, Richard Harris, Michael Lonsdale
Genre Adventure, Animation
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Compelled by dreams of a far-off planet, Kaena, a rebellious, high-spirited teenage girl defies her people's ancestral beliefs and sets off on a quest. Yet as she leaves the safety of her community, she must confront and defeat mysterious forces if she has any chance to learn the truth behind her world.
Originally conceived as a videogame, Kaena is now, instead, a creamy-colored yet derivative sci-fi fantasy with a few rip-offs so blatant (''The Empire Strikes Back,'' ''Alien,'' etc.) that even kiddie fans not yet mentally agile enough to make sense of the loopy plot could pick them out.
The New York Times by Dave Kehr
Has no local cultural history behind it. Its secondhand imagery and ideas seem to have barely involved its makers; it definitely does not involve its audience.
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
It's a standard science-fantasy fable, but the visual effects are mighty impressive.
New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman
This sci-fi fantasy doesn't exactly make sense, but it sure looks cool.
If Kaena's alternate universe isn't nearly as fully realized as "antastic Planet'," the 3-D imagery is often gloriously turbocharged.
New York Post by Jonathan Foreman
Visually stunning.
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
There are moments in Kaena that are absorbing, but too much of the time it simply becomes tedious.
TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh
Has the distinctive Heavy Metal magazine meets "The Neverending Story" (1984) vibe of Euro-science-fiction comics, complete with ponderous philosophical noodling, weirdly whimsical aliens and seriously creepy creature sex.
No "Triplets of Belleville," this French animated feature was hatched as an idea for a video game, and it shows.
The Hollywood Reporter by Sheri Linden
Augurs well for dazzling visual work but struggles mightily on the storytelling front.
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