Review & Giveaway - Axel: The Biggest Little Hero

Axel: The Biggest Little Hero
Director: Leo Lee
Voice Cast: Ed Asner, Tim Curry, Matthew Lillard, George Takei
Studio: ARC Entertainment
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Retail: $20.99
ASIN: B00J4LMKS6
Running Time: 80 minutes
Rating: PG

Review:

Arriving on DVD today from ARC Entertainment is the computer-animated fantasy adventure, Axel: The Biggest Little Hero, directed by Leo Lee and starring the voice cast of Ed Asner, Tim Curry, Matthew Lillard and George Takei.

While How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Planes: Fire & Rescue are hitting theaters this summer, Axel: The Biggest Little Hero gets the straight-to-DVD treatment. There a few big names, like the ones I mentioned above, but their voices only appear for a brief period of time. The star of the movie is Yuri Lowental as the voice of Axel.  

The film is set on a peanut. Yes, I said peanut! Young Axel wants to become a hero and while trying to save a bug from a tree, he accidentally falls to the ground. While unconscious, Axel hears a voice of the last great leader, Bonta (voice by Ed Asner), telling him to search for the lost Boonta Grove, where an unlimited supply of the cactus-like Boonta lays. Axel's people live off of the liquid found inside the Boonta.

Along with his best-friend, Jono (voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey), Axel journeys through the desert on an epic quest to save his people. They cross paths with a giant mechanical ostrich, whom becomes their greatest ally. Finding the Boonta Grove won't be easy, as it is ruled by the Lizard King (voiced by Matthew Lillard) and its army of lizard robots.

Axel must quit pretending to be hero and actually become one, if he plans on saving Princess Gaga (voiced by Kate Higgins) from the clutches of the Lizard King.




I have seen many cartoons, but this is first time I have seen the main characters as a square one-legged creature. While the computer animation isn't as well-done as Disney or Dreamworks, there are a few great scenes with the ostrich and the Lizard King. Some of the characters reminds me of the cheap preschoolers' computer-animated series, especially Papa Qi, who resembles King Koopa from the Super Mario Bros. games. The director and writer, Leo Lee, has created an intriguing world that has never appeared in film before. Overall, Axel: The Biggest Little Hero is a cute fantasy cartoon that will appeal to kids of all ages.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Giveaway Details:

Axel: The Biggest Little Hero DVD

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