This is an understated contemplation on the nature of faith in the face of hopelessness. It boasts an unrelentingly bleak atmosphere that it douses with equally unrelenting heart. In true Don Bluth fashion the silliness is limited to a flavor of villain caricature and avoids affecting the plot. Instead, it allows the story themes to play out with a lot of depth without becoming too intense for more sensitive viewers. It’s masterfully executed and achieves its conservatively ambitious goal with real staying power for those not driven off by the family-friendly aesthetic.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Pursuit of Happyness by way of The Great Mouse Detective.

Setting: Crime
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Film Noir