History YMMV / AtlantisTheLostEmpire

*** Red Beard is a [[RapePillageAndBurn pillaging]] Viking out to discover Atlantis. Raiding a village, Red Beard forces a monk to give up the map to Atlantis for the price of his flock being spared; once the monk concedes, Red Beard razes the village to ashes and kills all within out of amused sadism--but [[ExactWords spars the sheep]]. When one of his men gets uneasy due to concerns there's something within the ocean, [[BadBoss Red Beard]] tosses the man off his boat to drown in the frigid waters, threatening the rest of his crew with the same fate should they question him.

** Cookie shows off a map on his belly showing "all 38 states." There were 38 states from 1876 to 1889 (meaning he got the tattoo sometime between the ages of 33 and 47.) He seems to think there are ''still'' only 38 states, but then, he's not all there.

* HesJustHiding: Some fans of the movie pretend to think that Helga survived the final battle. [[spoiler: In fact, the cancelled true sequel would've confirmed that Helga actually indeed survived and ended up becoming the new BigBad of the movie.]]

* LoveToHate: Helga is quite an enjoyable villain for her DeadpanSnarker FemmeFatale persona, as well as being a DarkActionGirl in the climax. Many fans lament the cancelled sequel where she would have come back as a cyborg.

* CatharsisFactor: [[spoiler: Considering how rude Helga is before the group's FaceHeelTurn and afterwards being a SmugSnake who jokes about doubling the price once she hears that stealing the Heart of Atlantis will result in the Atlanteans dying, it's rather satisfying when Rourke [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves betrays her]] and throws her off the zeppelin. And seeing as Rourke does this for no good reason beyond a flimsy excuse and [[KickTheDog claiming it's "nothing personal", it's also just as cathartic when a dying Helga gets a revenge shot in, throwing those words back at Rourke as she does]].

* CatharsisFactor: [[spoiler: Considering how rude Helga is before the group's FaceHeelTurn and afterwards being a SmugSnake who jokes about doubling the price once she hears that stealing the Heart of Atlantis will result in the Atlanteans dying, it's rather satisfying when Rourke [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves betrays her]] and throws her off the zeppelin]].

** In the Polish dub, Vinny is renamed Volodya, speaks with a ''heavy'' Russian accent (to the point he can get unintelligible) and references a long list of stereotypical Russian traits - including VodkaDrunkenski. This also means many of his dialogues are completely altered to make them work in such a context. It is unclear if this was intended as a MythologyGag to the ultimately never implemented Rasputin-like mystic character from the first draft of the script.

** Vinny is arguably the most popular character. [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff ESPECIALLY in the French fanbase,]] thanks to a ''brilliant'' dub that arguably makes his {{Deadpan Snark|er}} even funnier than in the original. He's also pretty beloved among [[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales Italian fans]], as in that dub he's given a Southern accent to make him stick out from the other Italian-speaking characters and to be accurate to his canon bio about being born in Palermo, Sicily.

** The cancelled sequel would have involved [[spoiler: Helga surviving the volcanic eruption and coming back as a cyborg to be the film's villain]], which many fans would have been happy to see.

** In the original English version, Vinny speaks with an Italian accent. In the Italian dub, since everyone (obviously) speaks Italian, Vinny instead gets a Southern accent that fits right in with him being from Palermo, Sicily.

* {{Narm}}: [[spoiler: Rourke’s [[HellIsThatNoise hellish scream]] when he fully transforms into a crystal monster is [[NightmareFuel terrifying]], but to some it sounds rather... [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl high-pitched]] in a way that makes it harder to take seriously.]]

* DracoInLeatherPants: Due to the sheer sexiness (and coolness) of Helga, and the fact that she technically [[spoiler: pulls a HeelFaceTurn that amounts more to TakingYouWithMe when Rourke betrays her]], fans like to imagine her as less of a villain than Rourke. She does say "this changes everything" when she finds out that there are people in Atlantis, but continues with the mission even after the rest of the team defects.

** Audrey is perhaps a close second for many, for her [[LittleMissSnarker feisty and snarky attitude]], her [[TeenGenius knack with machinery despite her very young age]], and her being [[NiceGirl one of the first team members to warm up to Milo]]. The fact that she's a prominent female character who doesn't end up as someone's love interest helps big time (although see below).
** Helga's got a strong fanbase, too, on account of her cool, no-nonsense demeanor and her sultriness.
* FairForItsDay: The film is not without modern criticisms about Kida's character being oversexualized and stereotypically native, as well as the plot carrying WhiteSavior shades with Milo's role saving Atlantis. However, despite it being made during the TurnOfTheMillennium, it is also one of the most diverse Disney films to date, featuring a cast of many races and nationalities with their own charisma, which is no doubt one of its draws and reasons for its cult status. It's also worth noting that Kida is still the most powerful person in the story, and the third act's rescue plot is also so that she can save ''them''. While a passive vessel for the Heart of Atlantis, depicting a woman of color saving the day in a Disney film in 2001 was most certainly not often seen. And of course, Kida is the first [[spoiler: princess character in a Disney movie to become a queen at the end]] (even if she isn't an official Franchise/DisneyPrincess).
* FanPreferredCouple: Although Milo and Kida are the movie's OfficialCouple, many fans prefer to ship Milo with [[DatingCatwoman Helga]] or [[PairTheSmartOnes Audrey]].

** Cookie is confused when he finds a can labeled "cilantro" in his supplies at the start of the mission. Cilantro -- Spanish for coriander -- was called "coriander leaves" until the 1920s (it was introduced to British colonies in North America in 1670), and still ''is'' referred to as such in some countries.

* JerkassWoobie: King Kashekim is aloof not just to the protagonists but to his own daughter, and he's the arrogant ruler who became responsible for Atlantis's fall in the first place. But he's fully aware that his own hubris doomed his people, and he also had to lose his beloved wife, whom he still misses thousands of years later. [[spoiler: He also dies fearing that Kida will be lost the same way as the queen]].

** In the German dub, Milo accuses Rourke of wanting to sell the [[spoiler:heart of Atlantis]] to "some kind of tyrant" instead of (as he said in the original audio track) a very specific tyrant, "The Kaiser". He's very likely referring to [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany Kaiser Wilhelm II]] of Germany, making a reference to the brewing tensions in Europe that would ultimately lead to UsefulNotes/WorldWarI.

* {{Adorkable}}: Milo personifies this to such a degree that he provides the page image for that trope. Intelligent, sweet, clumsy, scrawny, still brave... Top it off with the voice of Creator/MichaelJFox, and you have got fangirl carnage on your hands. Kida makes mention of this... in her own, unique way.

** Audrey is perhaps a close second for many, for her [[LittleMissSnarker feisty and snarky attitude]], her [[TeenGenius knack with machinery despite her very young age]], and her being [[NiceGirl one of the first team members to warm up to Milo]].

* FanPreferredCutContent: A lot of fans would have liked most of the storyboarded action adventure sequences before finding Atlantis to be included in the finished film. WordOfGod is that they were cut because it was "taking too long" to get to Atlantis itself, but many of the pacing issues would likely have been solved by including them.

** In the German dub, Milo accuses Rourke of wanting to sell the [[spoiler:heart of Atlantis]] to "some kind of tyrant" instead of, as he said in the original audio track, a very specific tyrant, "the kaiser" (likely the German kaiser, making a reference to the brewing tensions in Europe that would lead to [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI WWI]] IRL).

* EvilIsSexy:
** [[spoiler: Lieutenant Helga Sinclair.]] Made apparent in her [[EstablishingCharacterMoment very first scene]] when the gobsmacked hero finds her waiting for him in his apartment like some sultry FemmeFatale in a hardboiled detective story. It helps that she's voiced by Creator/ClaudiaChristian of all people!
** Even [[spoiler: Rourke]] has a few fans. Yes, really. The grave-robbing sociopath who is willing to wipe out an entire civilization for money. Admittedly, he does have the deep voice and physique of a {{Hunk}} despite his age, which gives him appeal among [[SilverFox fans of attractive older men]].

* CommonKnowledge: In 2019, rumors that this film was going to join the list of Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon films slated for live-action remakes started flying around the internet, with claims that Creator/GuillermoDelToro and Creator/TomHolland were being considered to direct and star, respectively. These rumors were ultimately debunked by del Toro himself, but many people still believe them to be true, mostly because the idea of an ''Atlantis'' remake with del Toro at the helm is widely considered to be an ''awesome'' idea.

* {{Narm:}} Rourke’s [[HellIsThatNoise hellish scream]] when he fully transforms into a crystal monster is [[NightmareFuel terrifying]], but to some it sounds rather... [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl high-pitched]] in a way that makes it harder to take seriously.

* {{Narm}} Rourke’s [[HellIsThatNoise hellish scream]] when he fully transforms into a crystal monster is [[NightmareFuel terrifying]], but to some it sounds rather... [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl high-pitched]] in a way that makes it harder to take seriously.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: Gas had not been deployed as a weapon yet, but the concept of a gas mask dates back to the 9th century. A gas mask was patented in America in 1849 by Lewis Haslett, for filtering dust, and Garrett A. Morgan invented a gas mask in 1912 that proved useful for gas/smoke-filled environments. Military use of gas masks did not occur until at least 1915, but Rourke runs a private army with unconventional equipment, to say the least.

** In the English dub, Vinny speaks with an Italian accent. In the Italian dub, since everyone (obviously) speaks Italian, Vinny instead gets a Southern accent that fits right in with him being from Palermo, Sicily.

%%ZCE** It also shares many of the same beats as ''Film/{{Stargate}}''. Such as?

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[OnlyInItForTheMoney Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke]] is a tomb-robbing mercenary (or, as he insists, "[[InsistentTerminology adventure capitalist]]") solely in the Atlantis operation for profit. The leader of the expedition sent to find Atlantis, Rourke maintains a gruff, militaristic indifference to the lives of those lost to the Leviathan and upon seeing the Heart of Atlantis, plans to confiscate it and sell it for triple the money he'd receive. Knowing full well this will kill every Atlantean, when he's confronted on this Rourke threatens to shoot Princess Kida and shortly thereafter murders her father, never dropping his [[FauxAffablyEvil friendly facade]]. Rourke was concerned for [[ItsAllAboutMe little else but himself]] and the potential profit he could reap from Atlantis, to the point where he tosses [[TheDragon Helga]] off a blimp to her death in an attempt to aid his escape, and was greedy enough, in the end, to make his entire party turn against him.]]

* MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales: Vinny Santorini is as much of a beloved EnsembleDarkHorse among Italian fans as he is generally among other viewers worldwide. The SuperlativeDubbing by Pasquale Anselmo, who gave Vinny a southern accent to make him stick out more in the Italian dub and be accurate to him being from Palermo, definitely upped the character's charm.

* FanPreferredCouple: Although Milo and Kida are the movie's OfficialCouple, most of the movie's fanbase prefers to ship Milo with [[DatingCatwoman Helga]] or [[PairTheSmartOnes Audrey]].

* MemeticMutation: The part where Rourke lights a match in the dark and asks "Alright, who's not dead? Sound off." has become very popular for Gif users.

* CommonKnowledge: In 2019, rumors that this film was going to join the list of Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon films slated for live-action remakes started flying around the internet, with claims that Creator/GuillermoDelToro and Creator/TomHolland were being considered to direct and star, respectively. These rumors were ultimately debunked by del Toro himself, but many people still believe them to be true, mostly because the idea of an ''Atlantis'' remake with del Toro at the helm is widely considered to be ''awesome''.

** Was Rourke EvilAllAlong or did he do a FaceHeelTurn? He knew about the crystal beforehand by reading or looking at the images in the book, but he didn't understand the ancient language so he couldn't know what the crystal was exactly, nor did he expect Atlantis to still be inhabited. Excavating valuable artifacts from long-dead civilizations isn't evil, even if you're OnlyInItForTheMoney, but deciding to take it from still-living people who depend on it is. Considering he only starts acting outright villainous ''after'' the crystal is revealed and he is given the chance to learn more about it, it calls into question if he was EvilAllAlong, or if learning the truth made him realize the value of it and acted on that.

* CriticalDissonance: Has a critic score of 48% on Rotten Tomatoes as well as a surprisingly low audience score only around 51%. However, given its CultClassic status and its constant inclusion in lists of the most underrated Disney movies and animated movies in general, it’s obvious the audience liked it more.
* CultClassic: As with ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', this film is becoming one. It's one of the rare few movies that fans actually ''want'' to see join Disney's increasingly long list of [[LiveActionAdaptation live-action remakes]], just so it can get a second shot at the box office.

** Even [[spoiler: Rourke]] has a few fans. Yes, really. The grave-robbing sociopath who is willing to wipe out an entire civilization for money. Admittedly, he does have the deep voice and physique of a {{Hunk}} despite his age, which does give him appeal among [[SilverFox fans of attractive older men]].

** Additionally the part where Milo asks about Mole's backstory and Dr Sweet responds with "Trust me on this: You don't want to know. Audrey, don't tell him. You shouldn't've told me, but you did, and now I'm telling you, you don't wanna know." has become a popular meme, usually in response to someone asking about some aspect of internet culture that the asker [[YouDontWantToKnow probably won't like the answer to]].
* MoralEventHorizon: [[spoiler: Rourke crosses it and keeps on going when he punches the elderly King of Atlantis so hard it causes internal bleeding, eventually leading to his death. Dr. Sweet drops out without hesitation when he sees this happen and while the other main crew members don't, Audrey and Vinny at least are shown to be disconcerted and repulsed.]]

* VanillaProtagonist: Milo's by no means a FlatCharacter, but in a film with so many quirky and diverse supporting characters, he's not particularly interesting. By comparison, he's just a nice-if-determined nerd with a talent for linguistics who gets to go on an adventure because only he can read a particular book.

** Also in the Italian dub, Rourke's "P.T. Barnum was right" line was replaced with a simpler "The world of full of fools" since [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._Barnum the reference]] would have been lost on Italian audiences.