Mundo Estranho

I didn't hate this film. I am not sure why this film has received such mixed reviews. It wasn't the best animated Disney movie but overall I enjoyed it. The story was good, it wasn't too complicated but it was interesting. The animation was also good, it was very colourful and detailed. I liked all the creatures. It has some laughs and you will recognise the voices of some of the actors. It is only an hour and 47 mins which is a plus (new films are always so long now!). I would recommend, I think children would also enjoy this film. It is a great film for all of the family to enjoy. I am not sure why reviews have to have so many characters now!!!!

... and while I think they did a great job building a world, with a lot of cool recombinations of old sci-fi concepts, the actual characters don't feel at all well sketched out and the themes and plot are remarkably thin. Like it's an okay film but it's a bit below the normal standards of Disney Animation.

The dialogue is definitely too much on the nose, and it feels pitched a little too young for what they're going for.

The main character arc of the movie is reminiscent of (and far inferior to) Mitchells vs The Machines to me, which can't be a great help. Not saying that there can only be one "quirky teen has strained relationship with father" movie but it's definitely a detriment when I'm thinking about a film that does that much better and with a whole lot more emotional complexity and heart while watching this.

Also, does anyone else feel like the sheer quantity of movies that are coming out right now that are about intergenerational trauma is getting a bit tiresome?

The environmental message is fine, but honestly it's mildly horrifying how culturally we're already at the point where kids movies are pitching "you should be willing to accept a much lower standard of living to save the planet." Not totally this movies fault, but that is where we are.

The opening sequence is really nice though, I'll say that.

This movie is good and I'm kind of wondering why everyone is complaining. It's for kids and I really see nothing wrong with it to deserve such low ratings. The story is about living harmoniously with nature and to follow one's own path in life, all wrapped up in an adventure story on a crazy lovecraftian landscape. It was cool enough to me. Don't listen to these reviews, let your kid watch the movie, the ask if they hated it. As an adult, it passed the time better than most Disney cartoons. When I was young I hated the little mermaid, Snow White, beauty and the beast, and most other Disney cartoons( alladin was good though). If strange world came out when I was young I would of thought it was great.

I honestly don't get all the hate for this movie, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's definitely not fantastic but it's not terrible neither, it's a better effort from Disney compared to recent outings. Yes the characters aren't as well developed as they could have been, the story is just a rehash of everything that's been done before, the ideas don't really go anywhere, and certain situations just conveniently resolve themselves without much effort. But what did you expect from Disney these days? Just turn off your brain and keep expectations low and you'll find there's a lot to like; I love the Star Trek vibe, the creatures in the strange world were pretty cool, the blue blob was a lot of fun, the three-legged dog was awesome, I'm not sure why he was there and why he had to be three-legged but what the heck, he's a good boy! Just like the movie, it's flawed and you're not sure why it's there, but it's enjoyable.

The last fifteen minutes or so do redeem this to a certain extent, but otherwise it is a curiously disjointed story that seems drawn from "Island at the Top of the World" (1974) with bits of "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" (1959) and "The Lost World" (1960) thrown in for good measure. We start with the legendary explorer "Jaeger Clade" who is determined to find a way past the enclosing mountain peaks of their community. Like many a father, he drags along his unwilling son and when things come to an head, he proceeds alone leaving the younger man "Searcher" with his newly discovered crop of radioactive Brussels sprouts. Twenty-five years pass, and he has now grown up and successfully developed a farm of these particularly useful vegetables. He even has his own statue! Suddenly, though, the plants start to die and it falls to him and his own young son "Ethan" to embark on a perilous mission to the heart of the plant's root system and save it before it dies. These escapades are nicely and creatively animated with some fun to be had along the way, but there is simply too much sentiment, familial discord and cheesy dialogue to sustain this - as well as a dog that really annoys after a while. The characterisations are really undercooked and just about every box you can imagine is ticked as the story ultimately concludes with a bit of a nod to Oriental mythology. It is certainly watchable, but there is no need to shell out on a cinema ticket for it. Disney+ will do fine in due course when you can safely leave the kids to watch.