Revisiting a classic: FernGully

By Britt Perkins

Because of the recent Avatar comparisons, it was Valentine’s Day, and I asked for and received “Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest” for Christmas, this review had to be done.

Revisiting childhood can be a disappointment. FernGully isn’t.

Listening to the voices of Tim Curry, Christian Slater and Robin Williams, among others, I felt like my 6-year-old self again, sitting for the first time in that dark and cavernous theater, completely enthralled.

We meet Crysta, an adolescent fairy training to be the ultimate nature nuturer, exploring the limits of her neighborhood and mysterious boys.

Her mysterious boy happens to be a human named Zak, which is a bonus because humans are thought not to exist anymore, whom she shrinks to save from a falling tree.

They are subsequently rescued from a “monster” or giant tree-eating machine by loyal and comedic Batty (Robin Williams), a flying mammal with multiple personalities resulting from being used as a science experiment.

The fight is on between nature and machine as Hexxus, a toxic fiend with a penchant for destruction, manipulates humans to do what they do best: cut down the rain forest.

Zak is forced to choose between the life he knows and FernGully.

Not only is the script littered with choice 90s vernacular, “tubular” and “bodacious” being among my favorites, but the music is awesome. I mean “totally bad.”

Robin Williams performs the “Batty Rap” with verve. Tim Curry crooning “Toxic Love” is the sexiest thing about this movie. (Sorry guys, your Coneheads-esque, watery love scene just doesn’t do it for me.) Fun fact: Thomas Dolby of “She Blinded Me With Science” fame wrote both of these songs.

Tone Loc is second in the sexy line with “If I’m Gonna Eat Somebody,” co-written by…Jimmy Buffett? No, seriously.

And of course, as a Beluga grad, my favorite, “Raining Like Magic,” written and performed by Raffi.

So dust it off or watch it fresh.

“We all have the power. It grows when it is shared.” – FernGully