Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 animated science fiction adventure film produced Walt Disney Feature Animation and directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. The movie is notable for being a departure from the traditional Disney animation style, with a darker and more mature tone, focusing on action and adventure rather than music and fairy-tale elements. It’s set in a fictionalized version of the legendary lost city of Atlantis and combines steampunk influences with mythology and scientific exploration.

The film follows Milo Thatch (voiced by Michael J. Fox), a young, idealistic scholar and linguist who has spent his life studying ancient languages and myths. Milo is determined to prove that the lost city of Atlantis is real, but his theories are dismissed by his peers. However, an opportunity arises when a wealthy industrialist named Preston B. Whitmore (voiced by John Mahoney) offers Milo a chance to join an expedition to find Atlantis, based on a mysterious ancient map passed down through generations.

Milo joins a diverse group of explorers, including a hardened mechanic named Helga Sinclair (voiced by Claudia Christian), a tough ex-soldier named Commander Rourke (voiced by James Garner), and a team of miners, engineers, and adventurers. Together, they set off on a dangerous journey to the depths of the ocean, where the legendary city is believed to lie hidden.