You might recall my thoughts on "The Wild Robot" earlier this year. I complained that the animated animals weren't using their natural calls (chirping, roaring and the like) and were speaking English. I was under the impression that film would use pantomime. When it wasn't, I was admittedly a little let down. Now in answer to your impending question, what I was looking for was a work in the veins of the animated independent French import, "Flow".
This is another computer animated film that centers on a group of animals working together to either survive or overcome a new and unfamiliar element in their natural habitat. In this case, we follow a black cat as it survives a flood that devastates its home. The cat boards a ship hosting other animals including a golden retriever and a lemur. As they overcome various obstacles such as severe weather, heavy waves, and various predators, they come to rely on each other as they navigate their uncertain adventure.
On the surface, this is similar to the plots of most animal centered family films such as "Homeward Bound" and "The Land Before Time". What sets "Flow" apart though is with its approach. After years of being subjected to talking animals everywhere, we finally caught a refreshing break with animals in their natural form. They're engaging in their own distinctive behaviors, such as chasing or collecting objects and interacting off other species. They listened to my suggestions, and they turned out a great film.
Thank you, Gints Zilbalodis, for taking my advice to heart and applying it. Here at The Film Pub, we always give credit when filmmakers branch out from the rest of the crowd. In this case, it's letting the visuals do the talking. So thank you for taking that refreshing approach. The animation itself is solid all around. I like the environments just a little better than the animal design. There's almost a photo realism to the forests, flooding water and various objects and buildings our ensemble interacts with.
I'd be lying if I said that the close-ups of the animals were fully detailed. Considering that this is an independent animated film, a little leeway is in order. The animals all have clear expressions and behaviors that keep us amused that you won't mind. The sound design is also worthy of praise. You're never hearing the same stock animal noises that you've heard since the 1990's or earlier. You're hearing real cat meows and dog whines in real time, or something at least sounding closer to them. I appreciate when sound experts get that authenticity right.
The only criticisms I have for "Flow" are relatively minor, especially compared to what it gets right. There's an unnecessary dream sequence in the mid-section that you could've cut and missed nothing. Dream sequences were always and still are useless in a film. It does also begin and end at fairly random points, especially in the ending. I'm not sure what we're supposed to think and what social commentary is subliminally obtained. Either way, it could've been made more clear what to expect there.
Divorced of those small flaws, "Flow" easily ranks amongst the best times I've had all year round at the movies. It was so close to obtaining a Critic's Choice label, but just fell a little short in a few areas. If you have kids, try this one out on them and see what they think about the visual storytelling. Once this film lands on streaming, I implore any cat and/or dog owners to watch this with their pets by their side and see how they react. I have a feeling my Oreo will be quite curious over what unfolds here.
Final Verdict: 9/10
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