Anticipation: The hum of mingled voices that slows, then finally stops altogether as theater lights dim. Many feel a flutter in their chest when, after perhaps months of patient — or not so patient — waiting for its release, the film begins.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole is based on the popular book series by Kathryn Lasky. Despite being directed by Zack Snyder, whose previous works include 300 and Watchmen, Guardians failed to generate much attention. From a single glimpse of commercials, fans of the books could easily pick out major changes.

The film revolves around a young barn owl named Soren (voice of Jim Sturgess). A dreamer at heart, Soren loves the stories told by his father about the legendary Guardians of Ga’Hoole, a group of peace-keeping warrior owls. His elder brother Kludd (voice of Ryan Kwanten), however, scorns the tales of virtue and honor, focused on outshining his brother to regain their parents’ attention.

After a poorly thought-out attempt at branching (the beginning stage of flight for young owls in which they leave the nest and hop to nearby perches) without supervision, Kludd and Soren collide and tumble to the forest floor. The brothers are saved from a hungry wolverine by two large, gruff owls, though the situation far from improves. Instead of taking the owlets back to their nest, the rescuers turn kidnappers. The destination: St. Aegolius School for Orphaned Owls, prison for hundreds of stolen young ones and headquarters of the Aryan-like Pure Ones.

Upon arrival, Soren and Kludd are separated after Soren defends his new friend, an elf owl named Gylfie (voice of Emily Barclay). While Kludd is sorted to the group for soldier training, reserved for tyto owls, his brother and Gylfie are sent to the pelletorium. In this area, those considered impure, non-tytos, dissect the pellets of other owls. In addition to the usual compacted fur, bones, teeth, feathers and skeletons of prey animals, strange and mysterious metal bits called flecks are found. The Pure Ones collect these and store them for a purpose ominous and unknown to Soren.

After Soren and his companion successfully resist moon-blinking, a process which renders owls unable to think for themselves, they catch the eye of a guard named Grimble (voice of Hugo Weaving). After separating them from other moon-blinked young ones, the owl reveals that he intends on teaching the pair to fly. Though the students succeed and narrowly escape the talons of Nyra (voice of Helen Mirren), Queen of the Pure Ones and mate to the High Tyto, Grimble’s life is lost.

Soren and Gylfie, along with new friends met along the way, make a long, arduous flight over the Sea of Hoolemere to the Guardians. After the testimony given of St. Aggie’s horrors, an investigation is launched. It in turn leads to a full-scale attack on the canyon stronghold.

However, after the warriors set out, Soren learns a key bit of information from his freshly rescued little sister Eglantine (voice of Adrienne DeFaria) that sends him flying with all haste to warn the army that their attack is an elaborate plot set up by the High Tyto: Metalbeak (Joel Edgerton).

To fit the contents of three books in the series into a 93-minute movie is clearly too difficult for Snyder. Major points and characters are minimized or excluded entirely, which detracts from the richness and diversity of Lasky’s work. The entire first book is compacted into hurried scenes. Due to the time constraint, Guardians seems rushed, and the plot falls flat.

While the unique quirks of each voice add interest, some seem off from how they were portrayed in the books. Digger’s (voice of David Wenham) personality, that of a quiet, thoughtful philosopher-type, is not well represented by the eccentric and slightly sporadic image presented in film. The accents applied to all characters threw me off at first, but grew endearing after a short time.

The character of Soren, specifically, lacks fault. Throughout the film, he remains perfectly upright, always taking the righteous route and never doubting the Guardians. Though it may please young children to see a perfect hero to look up to, I found the flawlessness disappointing.

One important aspect that varies from the books is the introduction of Metalbeak as his own character; according to Lasky, Metalbeak is a persona adopted by Kludd as High Tyto and mate of Nyra. He gained these posts after winning a duel for leadership over the Pure Ones, resulting in the damage to his face and a metal mask to hide it. By ignoring this, the film removes much of Kludd’s development as a cunning and ambitious owl, who would not only turn on his family members but murder for power.

Also lacking is the vital relationship-building, particularly between Soren and Ezylryb (Geoffrey Rush). When Soren first meets this teacher, or ryb, he shows fear, and perhaps even disgust, at the whiskered screech’s mangled talons and scraggly appearance. It takes time for the young owl to grow to love and respect his elder, while the movie immediately reveals him as the famous Lyze of Kiel, hero of the Battle of the Ice Claws, whom Soren already idolized.

Viewers learn little of Ezylryb’s quirks and incredible skill, which detracts from his involvement in Soren’s education and growth from a na