Abominável

The first major co-production between DreamWorks and China's Pearl Studio is a warm and fuzzy animated guide book they could have titled How to Train Your Yeti. It's good family fun as far it goes. It also could have gone further

[A] movie that has rich potential that it too often squanders in favor of routine cartoon antics.

No, "Abominable" doesn't reinvent the wheel - but it does deliver a lovely ride.

But "Abominable," about a girl who discovers a yeti on the rooftop of her Shanghai apartment building, is so safe, so risk-free, so bland, that its business imperatives are never just off-screen.

Yes, as it turns out - not only is "Abominable" as amusing as the competition, it boasts a lyricism and sweetness uniquely, sublimely its own.

Abominable is as entertaining an animated feature as I've seen this year, audiences of all ages almost certain to thrill to its avalanche of pleasures for many years to come.

There's some gorgeous animation and impeccable camerawork on display here. But as George Lucas' 2015 fiasco Strange Magic demonstrated, beautifully executed visuals will get you only so far.

Some lovely visuals and appealing characters.

Abominable is gorgeously animated, but the story is a little lacking, with a protagonist whose journey is so focused on other characters that we learn little about her own life.

The simplicity of the premise puts more pressure on the animation, which is crisp and occasionally beautiful, but not especially imaginative in its design.

This Chinese-American co-production is so distinctive pictorially, and so manifestly good-hearted, that it's easy to forgive if not quite forget the ragged quality of its storyline.

Though Culton's script plays a bit formulaic, hitting specific marks of must-have gags, jokes and sentiment at very specific moments, there are enough touches of warmth and sweetness that keep the story enjoyable for audiences both young and not-so-young.

Abominable's themes and arc are familiar kids' movie fare, with only one real plot twist. But its reverent attitude toward nature and wonder is a welcome addition to the cartoon canon.

An exceptionally watchable and amiable animated tale...

The second half's series of hollow visual spectacles foreground the film as a corporate product.

"Abominable" features one of the most nuanced and likable young heroines in recent animated feature history. And for a film that often seems to be working off a checklist, it ends up being a memorable time at the movies.

For the first time in a while, DreamWorks seems to be trusting its filmmakers with a semi-original idea, rather than racing breathlessly to the finish line.

Abominable lacks the personality to distinguish it from superior animated films that cover most of the same ground.

Although the movie's conclusion may be foregone, it's still enjoyable getting there.

Written and directed by Jill Culton, this is a dedicatedly cute movie with uplifting themes of female empowerment, community, and compassion. But it's not much beyond that.