Watching this for the first time over 20 years after it released (although remembering it being advertised at the time) it's clear this came out at the wrong time. Fully 3D animation was surpassing 2D and this moves away from many classic Disney tropes like the musical numbers and a classic villain, and that just wasn't selling at the time (and I would say does leave this a little hollow at times).
But watching this for the first time as an adult? Honestly it's some solid steampunk/sci-fi. Having a morally grey villain and some fun characters, not to mention some beautiful animation makes for a diverting 90 minutes or so. There is admittedly a little to be desired in terms of the main character maybe not being the most compelling and the fact they introduce a cool woman character only to have her taken out by injury for half the movie. But for what it is, it's honestly not bad, it just is also not the sort of thing that was ever going to have mass appeal. If it was released now, by a smaller studio, I feel like it would be the kind of thing that gets critically lauded.
I just like the ambition of it, even if not everything completely comes off, and it's rare a huge studio like Disney takes a risk likethis (and the history behind why it finally decided to do so is fascinating).
But watching this for the first time as an adult? Honestly it's some solid steampunk/sci-fi. Having a morally grey villain and some fun characters, not to mention some beautiful animation makes for a diverting 90 minutes or so. There is admittedly a little to be desired in terms of the main character maybe not being the most compelling and the fact they introduce a cool woman character only to have her taken out by injury for half the movie. But for what it is, it's honestly not bad, it just is also not the sort of thing that was ever going to have mass appeal. If it was released now, by a smaller studio, I feel like it would be the kind of thing that gets critically lauded.
I just like the ambition of it, even if not everything completely comes off, and it's rare a huge studio like Disney takes a risk likethis (and the history behind why it finally decided to do so is fascinating).