Shout Factory continues to bring a wide variety of films to the market and they show no signs of slowing down. Their latest animated feature, White Snake was conceived as a prequel to one of the most ancient and enduring stories in Chinese history. Now you have a chance to bring this feature home, but does it offer up anything to bring justice to this legend or will it fail to bring the magic?

 

White Snake follows a young woman named Blanca who is saved by Xuan, a snake catcher from a nearby village. She has lost her memory, and together they go on a journey to discover her real identity, developing deeper feelings for one another along the way. But as they learn more about her past, they uncover a darker plot of supernatural forces vying for power, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

 

I knew nothing about this film going in other than the legend itself that has been showcased in other films including The Sorcerer and The White Snake starring Jet Li. This prequel takes viewers on a visual treat of a journey that you can dive right into whether you know the fable or not. The story offers up everything you could want in this kind of tale including love, loss, and laughs that will keep you entertained until the very end.

 

The animation is beautiful bringing so many vibrant colors to the forefront offering up a visual treat to the senses. The varying character designs are great, most notably those of the snakes that coupled with the fun action makes for an overall great film. Sure there are some slow moments here and there, but I ended up enjoying this way more than I thought I might.

 

If you enjoy these types of fantasy films then give White Snake a shot that offers up a fe bonus features including commentary, interviews and trailers. White Snake is available now from Shout Factory and GKids.

 

For more information or to order a copy head over to www.shoutfactory.com