REVIEW: Smallfoot Is Perfect For The Smallfoot In Your Life
Warner Brothers new animated flick, Smallfoot, hits theaters this weekend and littles ones are in for a treat. Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, Smallfoot sees Migo, voiced by Channing Tatum, a young Yeti who sets out on a journey to prove the existence of “Smallfoot”. He is determined to show his community that “Smallfoot” (i.e. humans) are real after he encounters one while exiled.
Migo is helped in his search by fellow Yetis: Meechee, Gwangi, Kolka, and Flem, voiced respectively by Zendaya, Lebron James, Gina Rodriguez, and Ely Henry. These Yetis are “smallfoot believers” and they think Migo must go below the clouds to find the elusive creature. Migo is up to the task and quickly encounters a real “smallfoot”, Percy Patterson (James Corden) an animal conservationist turned TV personality. Percy and Migo seek to use each other for their own personal gain and that’s when things go haywire.
Smallfoot is strongly geared towards small children and that’s OK. Kirkpatrick doesn’t try to do anything over the top or too elaborate that could potentially deter from the story. She understands her target audience and knows just the right path to take to keep children’s attention on the screen. When things seem to be getting too tense, a laughable moment is thrown in; when things seem to be boring, a musical number comes in to save the day. The mindset works for this film and achieves its goal, if the outpouring of children’s laughter was anything to go by.
The mark is missed for adults in the audience, however. There are a few entertaining bits for the non-children but don’t expect to walk away satiated. Some adult themes course throughout the film (a look at how isolationism can impact and hinder a community is one) but, overall, this is a flick for the kids. The music has catchy moments but definitely isn’t a highlight (Moana this is not).
Smallfoot is a decent animated film, perfect for those upcoming rainy Fall days. The slate is clear right now for any kid-centric films and this one will do nicely for families looking for an entertaining way to occupy the day.
Grade: B-