Abominable (2019) Plot Summary & Timeline

The cinematic adventure kicks off in the lively streets of China, where the operations of Burnish Industries set the stage for an extraordinary escape. A mysterious yeti (Joseph Izzo), previously imprisoned within the facility, breaks free and embarks on a daring journey through the complex. Hot on its trail are Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) and a mercenary captain (Rich Dietl), but the elusive creature evades capture, bursting into the vibrant city beyond. As it navigates through this unfamiliar environment, the yeti’s extraordinary powers begin to awaken, revealing a series of remarkable feats.

In a quieter part of the city, 16-year-old Yi (Chloe Bennet) grapples with the grief of her father’s passing. Living with her increasingly distant mother (Michelle Wong) and Nai Nai (Tsai Chin), Yi yearns for connection and often reflects on her cherished memories. She takes various odd jobs to save for a long-desired trip across China that she had hoped to share with her dad.

Meanwhile, her childhood friend Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) is preoccupied with social escapades, while his cousin Peng (Albert Tsai) feels the pangs of loneliness. Yi clings to her connection with her father by playing his violin to soothe herself. One fateful evening, as she plays a heartfelt tune on her rooftop, her peace is shattered by the whirring of helicopters searching for the yeti. In a twist of fate, she slips and her bow lands near the frightened creature.

Initially terrified, Yi’s fear morphs into compassion as she approaches the yeti, realizing it means no harm. The next day, armed with Nai Nai’s famous pork buns, she feeds the yeti, who devours them greedily. Recognizing its longing for the mountains, she decides to name it Everest and commits to healing its wounds.

As Zara and her team ramp up their search for Everest, Yi grapples with her new responsibilities while digging into the darker motives behind Mr. Burnish’s (Eddie Izzard) relentless pursuit of the yeti. With these intertwined narratives, the stage is set for a thrilling adventure where Yi and Everest unite in their quest for belonging and connection in an ever-evolving world.

As dusk falls, Yi’s violin melodies coax Everest out of hiding, his magical essence rejuvenating a wilting flower. Unbeknownst to them, Jin and Peng are closely monitoring their every move, mistakenly believing Everest is swallowing Yi whole. The mercenaries led by Zara and Burnish overhear their conversation and quickly converge on the scene. Just in the nick of time, Yi and Everest evade capture, making their escape to the docks, where Everest boards a ship destined for his homeland. Yi, feeling his anxiety, chooses to accompany him, while Jin and Peng hesitantly follow, fabricating a story about a college tour in Beijing.

The journey continues aboard a cargo truck, where Yi, Everest, and Peng find themselves crammed in a crate of sodas. When the truck breaks down, they tumble into the rugged terrain of an island, leading them to the base of a glorious mountain that Everest longs to reach.

While hiking, Jin’s stomach grumbles loudly, which Everest addresses by producing an impressive array of succulent blueberries. However, the berries grow to immense proportions, causing chaos as they flee. Clearly exhausted, they choose to rest for the night, during which Yi observes the budding friendship between Peng and Everest, a reminder that even in isolation, companionship can blossom unexpectedly.

Meanwhile, the relentless Burnish, Zara, and their mercenaries find clues strewn across the island, their pursuit guided by a trail of soda cans. In the midst of their search, Burnish experiences an unexpected moment of awe, appreciating the natural beauty that surrounds them, momentarily setting aside his corporate ambitions.

As Yi, Peng, and Everest continue their treacherous journey, they draw the attention of surveillance drones sent by the merciless Burnish. In a daring act of bravery, Everest summons a giant dandelion to lift them away from danger, although Jin mistakenly chooses to meet up with friends in a nearby village. Alone, Jin is captured by Burnish’s team at their campsite.

As the trio finds refuge in a desert, they inadvertently leave food for a family of turtles. Yi begins to blame herself for their predicament but draws inspiration from fish swimming against the current and decides that they must persist just as the fish do.

Consumed by anxiety, Jin ventures out under the starlit sky and overhears Zara abandon her British accent, revealing her true intentions to exploit Everest for profit. Jin tries to steal a motorcycle, but his plans crash down, forcing him to walk through perilous terrain until he trades a phone for a boat.

Meanwhile, Yi and Peng navigate past crowds to sneak Everest onto a train. Burnish and his mercenaries, however, are hot on their tail. Just in time, Jin arrives to whisk Yi away on a boat, while Peng creates a diversion that causes a herd of yaks to stampede. Eventually, they all reunite, but they remain chased by Burnish’s men, who are desperate to capture Everest.

In this thrilling pursuit, Everest’s unique abilities become crucial, allowing him to extract the boat’s engine and magically summon a wave of flowers that provide their escape. The group crashes onto an uncharted island, but Yi’s violin is destroyed in the process. Seeking comfort, she journeys into the dense forest with Jin not far behind. Their conversation unveils their inner struggles, particularly Yi’s unaddressed grief over her father’s death.

On returning to Peng and Everest, they are pleasantly surprised to find that the duo has been working on restoring Yi’s violin using Everest’s magical fur as strings. Reflecting on moments of joy shared with her father, Yi realizes their incredible journey resonates with the destinations they once dreamed of visiting together. Yet, one location continues to beckon with an air of mystery.

Upon reaching the towering Sichuan Buddha statue, Yi’s heart ignites with emotion as she plays her violin, channeling her father’s spirit. The music stirs the statue to life, blanketing it in radiant blossoms.

However, their adventure takes a sinister turn when a group of mercenaries confronts them on a shaky bridge. Everest, fiercely protective, uses his powers to shield the group. Yet Burnish, confronted with memories of his first encounter with a mother yeti, pleads for a peaceful solution with Zara. She, however, has sinister intentions, ordering the capture of Everest, which leads to chaotic confrontations and eventual tumbling into the depths below.

As Yi desperately clings to life on the bridge, she draws upon her strength to rejoin her friends, reclaiming her violin as their hope. The sweet music seems to revive Everest, who emerges as a force to be reckoned with, scattering the mercenaries and freeing his friends from peril.

Though their victory is hard-won, Zara and the Captain plot once more, leading to a catastrophic avalanche that seals their fate. Meanwhile, Everest’s powers blossom further as he conjures ethereal beings to guide them to his home, where a welcoming family of yetis awaits.

In a bittersweet farewell, Yi parts from her friend, knowing their adventure has shaped them profoundly. Back in the human world, Burnish returns the children to their families, where they’ll be embraced with warmth. Their reunion is soon complemented by a mysterious package from Burnish that hints at further escapades. As they gather to savor Nai Nai’s renowned pork buns, Peng’s passion for the dish serves as a delightful reminder of Everest, whose spirit lingers as a testament to the magic waiting to be discovered right outside their doors.