Abominable Blu-ray Review - Warm and Fuzzy Extras!

Abominable, features teen Yi (Chloe Bennet), an accomplished violinist in Shanghai, who misses her late dad and does odd jobs around town to save money for a trip they’d hoped to take. When she finds a huge but young Yeti hiding on her roof and learns he has escaped a facility where he was imprisoned and experimented on, she wants to help him.

Yi wants to help escaped YetiCourtesy of Universal Studios

She learns that his home is on Mount Everest, names him Everest and decides to take him there. Going along on the adventure are Yi’s vain teen cousin Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainer) and 10-year-old friend Peng (Albert Tsai). Chasing them to the Himalayas is shady zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) and rich rare animal collector Mr. Burnish (Eddie Izzard) determined to get their Yeti back.

Abominable Trailer

Yeti Seeks Freedom!

A huge creature escapes a Shanghai lab facility. Seeing a billboard advertising a trip to Mount Everest, the creature climbs an apartment building to get a closer look and hides on the roof. Young Yi, a building resident, leaves her concerned mom and grandma to do odd jobs around the city.

Yi keeps things secret from Mom and GrandmaCourtesy of Universal Studios

Kids, including her own cousin Jin, make fun of her shaggy appearance. She is saving money for a trip around China once planned by her late dad. On the roof she plays her dad’s violin….beautifully. This wakes the sleeping Yeti who cowers from her and has an injury. She spends some hard-earned money on medicine and bandages for him.

Yi with her mom and grandma.Courtesy of Universal Studios

Is He Magic?

Yi makes friends with the Yeti, feeds him and, seeing the poster, names him Everest. She plays violin for him and he starts humming along and….glowing! A nearly dead plant nearby comes beautifully alive again. The Yeti is magic! Meanwhile Mr. Burnish who owns the lab, assigns Dr. Zara to track down and return his escaped Yeti.

Dr. Zara will track down the YetiCourtesy of Universal Studios

He must prove they really exist. Discovering the Yeti and thinking he’s a threat, Jin reports the “wild beast” alerting Dr. Zara who gives chase as Yi hops on the Yeti’s back and they run. Jin and young Peng follow, assuming that the beast has kidnapped Yi.

Yi discovers Yeti Everest and helpsCourtesy of Universal Studios

On to Everest

Yi puts Everest on a ship headed for a port nearer to Mount Everest. He is confused so she decides to go along. Jin and Peng end up on the ship as well. Jin’s parents think he is off on a college scouting trip to Beijing.

Jin reports to parents on his fake university scouting tripCourtesy of Universal Studios

Mr. Burnish collects rare animals and, since the world didn’t believe him years ago when he saw Yetis, he must show Everest to the doubters. Dr. Zara seems to love animals and will do her best to get the Yeti back safely. Meanwhile, Yi, Yeti and the guys make it to land but end up in a woodland where the magical Everest creates giant blueberries for them to eat. Jin leaves the group to go back home. When Dr. Zara and Burnish close in, Yi, Peng and the Yeti escape on magical giant dandelions floating on the wind.

Mr. Burnish wants his Yeti backCourtesy of Universal Studios

Threats of Capture

When Jin, is nabbed by Dr. Zara, he overhears her real plans for the Yeti. Jin escapes and learns to grow up and survive as he makes his way through a dangerous woods. He trades his precious cellphone for a boat and rescues Yi, Yeti and Peng from a high mountain village as Dr. Zara and forces close in. Everest’s magical powers over nature grow the closer he gets to home.

Everest's powers grow as he gets closer to homeCourtesy of Universal Studios

He magically repairs Yi’s violin when it is broken. When she plays, nature responds to her magically as well. Yi and group reach a bridge high on Everest but the baddies block the way. Burnish remembers his sense of wonder when seeing a Yeti family years ago. This Yeti is a child trying to get home. He orders his minions to let the Yeti go but will they?

Everest and friends near his home on Mt. EverestCourtesy of Universal Studios

Is Everest Home?

What will happen to Everest? Will he use more magic to get back to his family? Will Yi, who has learned to really appreciate her remaining family, Jin and Peng ever get home? Will Mr. Burnish’s change of heart stick? Will Dr. Zara’s evil plans be foiled?

Can Dr. Zara's evil plans be foiled?Courtesy of Universal Studios

Special Extra Features

• Two DreamWorks Short Films- This Blu-ray set comes with two sweet little movies: Marooned in which a small robot stuck alone on an abandoned Moonbase, strives to get back to Earth and Show and Tell with features Everest back home on his mountain putting on a magical show after getting a surprise package from friend Yi, Peng and Jin.
• Deleted Scenes – 4 of them presented in their more crude storyboarded animation form. All are interesting but cut for time.. Filmmakers introduce them.
• Making a Myth (Movie) – Is the “making of” featurette. One Writer/Director tells us that Yeti Everest was inspired by a huge, fluffy dog she had as a child. Awwww. The production and character design for the film are discussed as well as Casting with an emphasis on Asian actors. Cool!

Everest does look at bit like a giant fluffy dog. Courtesy of Universal Studios

• Animating Abominable covers the animation team taking us through their process from visiting locales in China for inspiration to their sketches of characters and their outfits and hair. The gorgeous look of the Chinese countrysides in the film are shown. A really beautiful extra.
• Meet the Cast is just that. The five lead voice actors describe their characters and how they related to them. Nice.

Young Albert Tsai voices PengCourtesy of Universal Studios

• Your Yeti Care Guide features castmembers showing us steps in caring for any new pet.
• Courage to Dream focuses on the Yi character as a role model…she’s not a Princess but a tough Tomboy with strong plans for her future. Cool!

Yi is a strong adventurous characterCourtesy of Universal Studios

• An Abominable Tour with Chloe Bennet – stars the young Asian actress who voices Yi taking us to the actual Chinese locales featured in the movie. A great trip to some beautiful locations!
• Everest’s Talk Box is unique as kids meet Joe Izzo, the voice of Yeti Everest and get a chance to record their own growly Yeti sounds. Cute!

Learn Everest's languageCourtesy of Universal Studios

• Cooking with Nai Nai – presents a cool female chef with actress Tsai Chin, the voice of Nai Nai as they make the cool Bao buns. Yum!
• How to Abominable is my fave extra!  You learn, step by step how to draw all the major characters THEN, use them inside a very pretty Chinese lantern that you craft from scratch.. Beautiful!!
• You Can Speak Yeti-Ese is a little redundant in that it was already covered in the “Everest’s Talk Box” extra.

Everest has his own languageCourtesy of Universal Studios

• Nai Nai Says is short, featuring actress Tsai Chin as Nai Nai telling us how to be a modern Chinese woman.
• Feature Audio Commentary includes a bunch of the filmmakers commenting on every aspect of the film. As usual some speak more than others. Okay for a watch after seeing the film the first time.

Wrapping Up

This home edition of Abominable on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital is well worth collecting and gifting this holiday season.  It is so beautifully and colorfully animated that it’s a real feast for the eyes. Messages of family and friendship combine with true magic to make the movie a very enjoyable experience. We see that nurturing magic still has a place in our 21^st Century world. Violin solos by the Yi character are wonderful to hear, just soar and match the gorgeous animated landscapes.

A gorgeous Chinese landscapeCourtesy of Universal Studios

It is nice for diversity that the well fleshed-out lead characters are mostly Asian and voiced by Asian actors.

Many of the characters are voice by Asian actorsCourtesy of Universal Studios

Extras on this set are all fun and either informative or just warm and fuzzy. This would make a great addition to your home collection or a thoughtful gift for the holidays. Some extras are better than others so we award four stars.

Abominable Blu-ray Rating: 

Courtesy of Universal Studios

Buy Abominable in stores December 17^th

Warm and Fuzzy Dreams?  

Are you saving for a cool vacation somewhere? Do you think everyone has a little magic inside? If you found a hurt animal would you help it? Let everyone know with a comment here or on your Kidzworld profile page!

By: Lynn Barker