Review: The Legendaries is a good old-fashioned fantasy adventure with a kid-sized twist

I grew up on a healthy diet of fantasy stories, from heavy hitters like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to Artemis Fowl and Deltora Quest and so many other things in between. Though I haven't read the Patrick Zobral comics on which The Legendaries is based, it still set off a kind of nostalgia in me. It felt cozy and familiar, the kind of world and story I always loved getting lost in when I was a kid. Even now, I still love this genre, this feel, though I think nowadays I normally find them in video games more than in other media.

The Legendaries is about a team of five mythical heroes who, after defeating the evil wizard Darkhell, inadvertently cause a spell that turns everyone in the world into children. They still have their minds, memories, voices, etc., but they're stuck in their diminutive bodies. No one knows how to undo the spell, so for the time being, life is going on as normally as it can, but obviously, with some extra layers of strangeness. (For instance, the actual children at school are listening to a teacher who looks like one of their peers.)

While the world is (or at least should be) grateful for Darkhell's defeat, that gratitude is obviously complicated by the current predicament. Thus, the Legendaries have disbanded, going their separate ways and trying to keep a low profile. Maybe the world doesn't need their heroics anymore.

Our entry point to the team is Danaël, whose blond hair and blue outfit make him look a bit like Link from The Legend of Zelda (particularly Breath of the Wild Link). He's living under a false name in a bustling city, where he's gained a reputation for being a whiz at cleaning and mending shoes. It's a humble life for the former wielder of a mythical sword, but it's a living.

However, he's forced back into action when strange parasites appear, which attach themselves to some of the townsfolk and take control of their actions. Danaël has no choice but to reveal himself as the legendary warrior he is, much to the chagrin of the townsfolk. This new threat inspires Danaël to seek help from the other Legendaries, wherever they may be. 

The way we're introduced to this world, and the gears of the story get turning, are cozily familiar. There's a cold open scene of a magical spell going wrong to get us intrigued right away. Danaël is an affable hero, easy to root for. An early classroom scene allows a teacher character  to lay out the important underlying lore we need to know. And once the threat is revealed, we start bopping around to meet the other characters in a loose "getting the band back together" type sequence. It's all done with a lot of energy, with cool action beats and fun character moments. This is a pretty short movie (about 90 minutes including credits), so I was impressed at how economical it is, and how quickly it got its hooks into me. 

A big part of that is how great the characters are. We get brief introductions to each of them that set up who they were, what they've up to since the child-en-ing (my word, not theirs) two years ago, and who they are now. Particularly fun is Razzia, who's a big brute-type, but has remade himself into a calm self-help guru who avoids violence whenever he can. My favorite is Elemental Elf Shimy, who often butts heads with her fellow heroes, and is one of the toughest on the team. Gryf (a half-man, half-beast Jaguarian) and Princess Jadina (who wields a magical staff) round out the team. The film does a nice job of shuffling the deck, so to speak, putting different combinations of characters together so we can see the different dynamics. It's a lot of fun.

With the characters doing the heavy lifting, it's honestly fine that the plot is pretty standard fantasy fare. The villain is after a powerful resource that will allow him to expand his mind control operation to further worlds, and it's up to our heroes to overcome their differences and become a team again (along with a mysterious, possibly evil new ally) so they can save everyone. There aren't many surprises, but everything moves at such a fine clip, and there are some great set piece moments, so I was happy to be along for the ride.

Also, I have to shout out the fantastic score by Cecile Corbel and Simon Caby. Music is such a key part of an epic fantasy adventure, and they rise to the task with their nimble, multi-faceted work here. We jump in and out of so many interesting locales and cultures here, and their music always shifts and matches what we're seeing so perfectly. Big fan of the song that plays over the end credits, too.

As you might expect for a series that has been running in various forms for more than twenty years, there's obviously room for more movies, more adventures. There are a couple teases here about what might come next, and I look forward to setting out with this pint-sized band of heroes again.

The Legendaries has been rolling out in theaters overseas, and I hope/expect it'll make its way to the States, as well. I watched the (very good) English dub, so we just need someone to scoop it up. Viva Kids, get on the phone!