Dragonkeeper (PG)

A tale of a plucky young servant girl in ancient China, whose destiny is to save dragonkind from extinction, in this action-packed kids’ animation.

Ping (voiced by Mayalinee Griffiths) is an orphan who has grown up in a house where China’s last two dragons are kept locked up in a dungeon. There’s a lovely moment when Ping meets the pair: “Have I seen you in my dreams?” she wonders. As it turns out, Ping has magical powers. But her new friends are under threat from the ailing emperor; his life is in the balance and only dragon blood can save him. So the emperor dispatches sinister dragon catcher Diao (Anthony Howell) to bring him the ageing, captive dragon, Danzi (Bill Nighy).

Beautifully animated, with vivid colours and appealing character designs, Dragonkeeper is a charming film for all ages. Everything is rendered in a way to serve the story rather than to show off; this is more Shrek than Trolls. Sure, it’s a little strange hearing Asian characters speaking with British accents, but the film’s adventurous spirit delivers a grand time.