Abominable
Despite a significant budget of $75.0M, Abominable became a financial success, earning $190.3M worldwide—a 154% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Yi
Everest
Jin
Peng
Burnish
Dr. Zara
Main Cast & Characters
Yi
Played by Chloe Bennet
A teenage girl who discovers a young Yeti on her rooftop and embarks on a journey to return him to his family on Mount Everest.
Everest
Played by Joseph Izzo
A young Yeti with magical powers who is separated from his family and befriends Yi on his journey home.
Jin
Played by Tenzing Norgay Trainor
Yi's basketball-obsessed cousin who initially cares more about his appearance and social status than adventure.
Peng
Played by Albert Tsai
Jin's younger, enthusiastic friend who is eager to prove himself and join the adventure despite his age.
Burnish
Played by Eddie Izzard
A wealthy entrepreneur and collector obsessed with capturing the Yeti to complete his collection of rare creatures.
Dr. Zara
Played by Sarah Paulson
A zoologist working for Burnish who initially pursues Everest but eventually questions her mission and motivations.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Yi is isolated on her rooftop, surrounded by her father's travel photos but disconnected from her family and community. She works multiple jobs to avoid dealing with her grief, playing violin alone under the city lights.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Yi discovers a young yeti hiding injured on her rooftop. Despite her shock, she makes an immediate connection with the creature she names Everest, seeing his need to return home and recognizing something of herself in him.. At 10% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 21% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Yi makes the active choice to help Everest return home to Mount Everest, leaving her familiar Shanghai behind. Jin and Peng join the journey. This is Yi's commitment to connection rather than isolation, launching the adventure., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 42% of the runtime—significantly early, compressing the first half. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat The group is captured by Burnish's team at the Gobi Desert. Yi sees Everest caged and about to be taken away. The stakes raise dramatically - false defeat. The fun is over and now they must truly fight for Everest's freedom and their mission., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (63% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Yi faces her darkest moment: Everest is recaptured and she must confront that helping him means letting him go, just as she must let go of her father. She risks everything in a dangerous situation, and her emotional walls finally break as she shares her pain with Jin and Peng., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 79 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 66% of the runtime. Yi synthesizes her journey: she understands that helping Everest return home and letting him go is how she heals. She combines her determination with her newfound ability to work with others. Armed with acceptance and connection, she leads the final push to Mount Everest., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Abominable's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Abominable against these established plot points, we can identify how the filmmaker utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Abominable within its genre.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Yi is isolated on her rooftop, surrounded by her father's travel photos but disconnected from her family and community. She works multiple jobs to avoid dealing with her grief, playing violin alone under the city lights.
Theme
Yi's mother or Nai Nai expresses concern about Yi shutting everyone out, stating that family and connection are what matter. The theme of healing through connection versus isolation is introduced.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Yi's world in Shanghai: her relationship with her mother and Nai Nai, her multiple jobs, her avoidance of neighbors Jin and Peng, and her secret savings for a trip to places her deceased father wanted to visit. We see her grief manifested as isolation.
Disruption
Yi discovers a young yeti hiding injured on her rooftop. Despite her shock, she makes an immediate connection with the creature she names Everest, seeing his need to return home and recognizing something of herself in him.
Resistance
Yi debates what to do with Everest while evading Burnish's capture team. She tends to his wounds and realizes he needs to return to Mount Everest. Jin and Peng discover Everest, and despite Yi's resistance to involving others, circumstances push them together.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Yi makes the active choice to help Everest return home to Mount Everest, leaving her familiar Shanghai behind. Jin and Peng join the journey. This is Yi's commitment to connection rather than isolation, launching the adventure.
Mirror World
As the group travels together, the relationship between Yi and Everest deepens. Everest represents the emotional journey Yi needs - he is also separated from his family and home, mirroring her loss and need for belonging.
Premise
The magical journey across China with Everest's powers creating wonder: giant blueberries, dandelion flight, surfing on golden wheat fields. Yi begins to open up to Jin and Peng, forming genuine friendships. The adventure delivers on the premise of magical realism and connection.
Midpoint
The group is captured by Burnish's team at the Gobi Desert. Yi sees Everest caged and about to be taken away. The stakes raise dramatically - false defeat. The fun is over and now they must truly fight for Everest's freedom and their mission.
Opposition
The group escapes but faces increasing danger from Burnish and the terrain. Yi's reluctance to share her grief creates tension with Jin and Peng. The closer they get to Everest's home, the more Yi must confront what she's been avoiding - her own loss and need for family.
Collapse
Yi faces her darkest moment: Everest is recaptured and she must confront that helping him means letting him go, just as she must let go of her father. She risks everything in a dangerous situation, and her emotional walls finally break as she shares her pain with Jin and Peng.
Crisis
Yi processes her grief, finally opening up to her friends about her father's death and her guilt over not being there. She realizes that connection and family - not isolation - are how to honor her father's memory. The group bonds deeply in this vulnerable moment.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Yi synthesizes her journey: she understands that helping Everest return home and letting him go is how she heals. She combines her determination with her newfound ability to work with others. Armed with acceptance and connection, she leads the final push to Mount Everest.
Synthesis
The finale at Mount Everest: Yi and friends help Everest reunite with his family while facing off against Burnish. Yi uses music (her father's gift to her) to activate Everest's powers. Burnish has a change of heart. Everest returns home, and Yi fully accepts her loss while embracing her connections.
Transformation
Yi returns to her rooftop, but transformed. She now plays violin with Jin and Peng, surrounded by family and friends rather than alone. She honors her father's memory through connection rather than isolation, having found her way home emotionally.