The legendary Clades are a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest and most crucial mission.
Walt Disney Animation Studios is known for making critically-acclaimed and successful musical films for kids and adults of all ages. Of course, sometimes, animated films have some rough misses along the way. The House of Mouse is trying to do whatever it takes to get back up on its feet. What the studio has to offer is a delightful, adventurous film that teaches the fans that adventure is not the only thing out there; family is too. Director Don Hall returns to helm this animated film that will take you to the edge of the world in a place where no person has gone before.
“Strange World” introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land called Avalonia alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog, and a slew of ravenous creatures. As they are forced to tackle their latest and most crucial mission, they must learn how to build trust in each other and put their differences aside to finish the mission.
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (“Spider-Man: Far from Home,” “Brokeback Mountain”) voices Searcher Clade, a farmer who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission, while supportive Dennis Quaid (“Far From Heaven”) lends his voice as Jaeger Clade, the famous explorer and Searcher’s father. In addition, several voice actors also appeared in the film: Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old son Ethan, Gabrielle Union (“10 Things I Hate About You”) as Searcher’s wife Meridian Clade and Lucy Liu (FOX’s “Ally McBeal,” “Kung Fu Panda” films) as Avalonia’s leader Callisto Mal respectively.
Academy Award-winner Don Hall serves as the director of the film. He has an extensive Disney resume on his hands, such as co-directing “Winnie the Pooh,” “Moana,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” and “Big Hero 6,” with the latter earning him an Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2014. The script comes from the mind of Qui Nguyen, who also serves as the film’s co-director after his writing gig from “Raya and the Last Dragon.” The direction and the aforementioned script try to throw in for the main characters, mostly Searcher, but many people like to pay more attention to the Clade family characters and their amazing adventures rather than the story itself. But in the end, family is essential and is part of the adventure.
The film takes inspiration from pulp magazines, which are the type of popular fan fiction that dates back to the 1900s thru the 1950s, as well as paying homages to several science-fiction films, such as James Cameron’s “Avatar,” “Aliens,” “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” “War of the Worlds,” and “The Day Earth Stood Still,” based on the designs and backgrounds displayed in the film. “Strange World” also contains a unique reminiscence from the Indiana Jones films and two of Disney’s box-office flops, “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” and “Treasure Planet.” As the film focuses on using sci-fi elements and technological features, the animation is excellent, bringing nostalgic colors from the previous movies mentioned with a generous side of color palette scales and depths in the background. The music from Henry Jackman adds a decent amount of layers to the story, given that he previously scored the “Wreck-It Ralph” films and “Big Hero 6.”
“Strange World” is pretty alright, but it is, arguably, the strangest animated movie I have ever seen. Despite their best efforts, it doesn’t lie on the same scale as “Encanto” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.” It’s undoubtedly good viewing for kids and Disney fans out there. The voice cast and the animation are spectacular to see, though the plot does need more work and a little extra push if they want to continue Disney’s legacy. I really wanted to like this movie as I’m excited to see more original projects from Disney, but this overwhelming plot caught me off guard in some parts. To me, it’s an Avatar movie for kids. Whether or not this film is on anyone’s radar, “Strange World” is still a decent choice for this holiday season. One more thing, this film is the first Disney film to feature a commemorative “100 Years” logo at the beginning and is now streaming on Disney+.
Available on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD February 14th
