FernGully: The Last Rainforest facts for kids

Quick facts for kids FernGully: The Last Rainforest
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Bill Kroyer
Produced by	Peter Faiman Wayne Young
Screenplay by	Jim Cox
Starring	Tim Curry Samantha Mathis Christian Slater Jonathan Ward Robin Williams Grace Zabriskie
Music by	Alan Silvestri
Editing by	Gillian Hutshing
Studio	Kroyer Films, Inc. Youngheart Productions FAI Films
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	April 10, 1992 (1992-04-10) (North America) August 27, 1992 (1992-08-27) (Australia)
Running time	76 minutes
Country	Australia United States
Language	English
Budget	$24 million
Money made	$32.7 million

FernGully: The Last Rainforest is a 1992 animated musical fantasy film, directed by Bill Kroyer and scripted by Jim Cox. Adapted from the book of the same name by Diana Young, the film is an Australian and American venture produced by Kroyer Films, Inc., Youngheart Productions, FAI Films and 20th Century Fox. The film stars the voices of Tim Curry, Samantha Mathis, Christian Slater, Jonathan Ward, Robin Williams, and Grace Zabriskie. FernGully is set in an Australian rainforest inhabited by fairies including Crysta, who accidentally shrinks a young logger named Zak to the size of a fairy. Together, they rally the fairies and the animals of the rainforest to protect their home from the loggers and Hexxus, a malevolent pollution entity. Wayne Young, the film's producer, said the film was "blatantly environmental" though made an effort to avoid "preaching".

The film was released to mainly positive reviews, and was also generally considered a moderate financial success at both the box office and in home video sales. In 1998, it was followed by a direct-to-video sequel FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue, though none of the original voice cast reprised their roles.

Plot

Crysta is a fairy of curious nature who lives in FernGully, a picturesque rainforest free from human pollution. The fairies of FernGully once lived in harmony with humans, but believe them to have gone extinct after having been driven away by a dark spirit named Hexxus. Crysta is the apprentice of Magi, a fairy who imprisoned Hexxus in a tree. One day, Crysta explores a new part of the forest and meets Batty Koda, a bat who claims to have been experimented on by humans, giving him a manic and deluded personality. However, fairies refuse to believe him except for Crysta who volunteers to investigate the situation. She meets Zak, a young lumberjack whom Crysta accidentally shrinks when she tries to save him from being crushed by a falling tree, though does not know how to restore him to normal size.

The tree that Hexxus is imprisoned in is cut down by Zak's supervisors Tony and Ralph. Hexxus quickly begins to regain his powers by feeding on pollution. He manipulates Tony and Ralph to drive to FernGully. In FernGully, Zak meets Pips, a fairy jealous of Zak's relationship with Crysta. Zak begins to fall in love with Crysta, but hides the true reason that the humans had returned. When the signs of Hexxus's resurrection begin to manifest themselves in poisoned trees and rivers, Zak finally admits that humans are destroying the forest. The fairies mount an attempt to defend their homes. Knowing their fight is hopeless, Zak convinces Batty to aid him in stopping the machine before it destroys them. When Zak makes his presence known to Tony and Ralph, Hexxus takes over the machine and begins to wildly destroy the forest.

Magi sacrifices herself to give the fairies a chance, and she tells Crysta to remember everything she's learned. Zak manages to stop the machine, depriving Hexxus the source of his power, but he manifests himself within the oil in the machine and begins to ignite the forest ablaze. Crysta sacrifices herself by allowing herself to be devoured by Hexxus and all seems lost until he begins to sprout limbs and leaves like a tree. Batty, Pips and the rest of the fairies rally to the powers they have been given, which causes the seed that Crysta fed Hexxus to start growing wildly. Hexxus and the machine are both simultaneously imprisoned by the newly grown tree at the very border of FernGully which bursts into bloom.

Crysta appears after the fight, having survived and succeeds Magi as a magical fairy. She gives Zak a seed, begging him to remember everything that has transpired and she forlornly restores him to his human size. Remembering the seed in his hand, Zak promises to remember his adventure, and buries the seed in the soil before telling Tony and Ralph that things need to change as they leave the forest behind. The seed sprouts new growth for FernGully as Crysta playfully chases Pips with Batty following.

Cast

Tim Curry, pictured in 1995, provided the voice for Hexxus, the film's main antagonist

See also

In Spanish: FernGully: Las Aventuras de Zak y Crysta para niños