You’ve seen Ruby Gillman, the protagonist of DreamWorks’ latest adventure, before, Ruby Gillman, Teen Siren , before: She’s a nerdy teen (math is her favorite favorite subjects), she spent her high school coterie with her close friends (they called themselves “The Squad”). She agonizes over the routines of adolescence, like inviting her crush to prom and avoiding her mother’s watchful gaze. Her parents love her but can rein in their overprotective instincts. And, oh, Ruby has a big secret: she’s a siren.
Like many supernatural beings and people before her ( Miles Morales) Spider-Man , which would form a delightful double-bill with this film; Darby’s Darby and the Dead ; and Chen Wei in American-born Chinese*)), Ruby lives a double life. She is unable to tell her friends that she is a squid-like creature who is said to destroy ships and their sailors. Her parents moved to Oceanside a few years ago De, a quaint waterside village where humans live in peace. The Gilmans claimed Canadian ancestry to explain their elongated bodies, blue skin and other differences. No follow-up questions were asked, as long as they stay out of the water, there is no problem at all blending in.
Ruby Gilman, Teen Siren
Bottom Line Enchanting enough, even if it’s not amazing .
Release date: Friday, June 30 Throwing: Lana Condor , Toni Collette, Anne Murphy, Sam Richardson, Leigh Z Kosi Directors: Kirk DeMicco, Farin Per Faryn Pearl (co-director) Writers: Pam Brady, Brian C. Brown, Elliott DigiSeppy Rated PG, 1 hour 30 minute
No water rules put Ruby in a bind as she desperately wanted to go to the prom, but this year the prom was held on a huge boat which was inconvenient . In a dazzling and highly effective introductory montage, Ruby Gilman, The Teenage Siren introduces us to what happened in Oceanside, the day-to-day life of the Gilmans The details of life and the depths of Ruby’s troubles. Her mother Agatha (Toni Collette) rejects her elaborate marriage proposal, and Ruby learns that her friends – Margot (Lisa Koch), Bliss (Raymond) Na Young) and Trevin (Eduardo Franco) — going to the ball anyway. So much for the unity of the team.
Directed by Kirk DeMicco, co-directed by Faryn Pearl, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken glamourous. in a predictable way. That’s not to say the movie is bad – in the sweet 16 minutes , who can really complain? — but its slow moments might send your mind wandering to other, more evocative versions of the familiar story. Ruby Gilman uses the physical differences and family drama of the teen protagonists to weave a narrative about finding one’s voice and forging new paths amid intergenerational conflict. The latter theme can’t help but remind me of Strange World, another movie about a teen struggling to fit in and whose parents don’t know how to let go. In this captivating animated adventure by Jaboukie Young-White Voiced by Ethan, he finds himself caught between the dreams of his father and grandfather. Should he inherit the farming business his father cultivated or discover unknown lands?
Ruby is in a similar situation. After failing to “propose” to crush Connor (voiced by Yang White), Ruby is forced to break her mother’s no-water rule. Jumping into the ocean activates a dormant force within the young siren, which grows exponentially while saving her crush from drowning. Her gigantic size shocked not only the residents of Oceanside, but also the residents of Oceanside. It also forces her mother to tell Ruby the truth: 15 year old from Siren The warrior lineage, despite their terrible reputation, has been protecting the oceans for centuries.
Ruby is next in line to the throne and her grandmother ( Jane Fonda
) has been waiting for her to come back. Grandmother (as she likes to be called) wants Ruby to replace her as queen. (This plot point is reminiscent of the choices faced by Mia Thermopolis of The Princess Diaries .) Agatha would rather her daughter lead a relatively normal life Live, away from the dangers of the ocean.
It’s not hard to predict Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken what’s going to happen next. The revelations left the teen in trouble and hurt her relationship with her mother. What “tiny omission” is there, to borrow Agatha’s own words? How can teenagers trust anyone these days?
Rebellion ensues. Ruby searches for answers to her family’s legacy and forms an uncanny connection with Oceanside’s new resident, Chelsea Vanderzee (Anne Murphy). Mistakes will be made, battles will be fought, and bonds will inevitably be broken, but nature will restore.
After a shaky first half, Ruby Gilman, the Teenage Siren marched on a steady pace, tapping on tradition A familiar rhythm in the plot. The animation is strong, and includes some imaginative renderings of aquatic life, including a majestic fight scene towards the end of the film. The chemistry of the voice actors such as Coleman Domingo, Sam Richardson and Will Forte is unparalleled.
Still, these elements aren’t enough to elevate this film to truly impressive heights. The screenplay by Pam Brady, Brian C. Brown and Elliott DigiSeppy does a good job of commenting on the quirks of modern life (some jokes about our on-air impulsiveness made me giggle), but to Ruby’s story doesn’t dig deep enough—especially her challenging relationship with herself, her mother, and her grandmother—to anchor the film’s key emotional turns. By the end, we felt like we’d earned narrative rewards we didn’t have to earn.
Full credits 1235503261
Distributor: Universal Pictures Production company: Dreamworks Animation Cast: Lana Condor, Tony Collette, Anne Moore Fey, Sam Richardson, Liz Kosh, Will Forte, Coleman Domingo, Jabuki Young-White, Blue Chapman, Ramona Young, Eduardo Furlan Ke, Jane Fonda Director: Ke Ke DeMicco, Faryn Pearl (co-directors) Writers: Pam Brady, Brian C. Brown, Elliott DigiSeppy, Produced by: Kelly Cooney Cilella, PGA of America Executive Producer: Mike MitchellPhotographer: John Gutman Production Designer: Pierre-Olivier VincentEditor: Michelle Mendenhall Composer: Stephanie Economou
Casting Director: Christy Soper Rated PG , 1 hour16 minutes
THR Newsletter 1235503261
Subscribe to THR Newsletter daily, delivered directly to your inbox box
SUBSCRIBE Sign up
