I am sure that many of you associate this title with the Eddie Murphy film. I think that I saw it once but I rarely find comedy films funny. I prefer films that aren't played for laughs and therefore come across as more natural. Generally when films are scripted to be comical they get overplayed and it becomes crass or obvious. Good script writing and good acting can create the same effect but a better film. This film is an example of what I am talking about.
Think back to when you were a child. You probably used to play imaginary games and talk to animals even though you couldn't understand anything that they said to you. This film is more or less what you could imagine as a child but with a much broader imagination. A doctor, a Gorilla and Mice playing chess? The chess scene is fantastic but it probably wasn't something that your imagination would have created. A Polar Bear that doesn't like the cold?? Some of the moments in the film are magical but it took someone to think outside the box in order to create this world. This is a word that children can escape to. It is more than just a child's world, it is an expansion of our imagination as children and it brings to life things that only certain children can picture.
Not only are the visual effects stunning in this movie but the lack of a real 'bad guy' makes the film more enjoyable for people of all ages. A Dragon that suffers from stomach ache due to eating most of the Spanish Amada and some bag pipes... who thinks like that?! This film has everything that you wouldn't think of and everything that you would! Dolittle takes you inside your inner child's imagination and then leads you on a journey that you weren't able to imagine. It's not just the talking animals but more what they say, how what we know assume about animals isn't necessarily true. This film presents an alternate argument simply to challenge what we think and how we think it, not because there is any evidence to suggest that we are wrong; rather to present the possibility that we could be incorrect in our beliefs and assumptions.
When you see the name Robert Downey Jr you tend to expect a certain type of character. This wasn't it. This role is one of the most surprising and different roles that I have seen him take on as a lead actor. He was perfect for this role and because of that the film flowed and felt natural. Not once did his performance feel flawed or did you ever question why he was cast. Each character was thought out carefully and cast to perfection. Emma Thompson as Polly was again a perfect cast. Other names such as Antonio Banderas and Ralph Fiennes were cast and neither character was over played or stereotypical. I am always sceptical of child actors and so I wont comment because as far as I was concerned, the child acting was probably the weak link.
Whale power... It takes a certain type of person to come up with these ideas and then another type of person to bring them to life for the rest of us to see and enjoy. I think that this is the best children's movie since Despicable Me and Megamind were released. Every adult has an inner child in them and secretly every adult enjoys a good children's movie which doesn't have a really cheesy ending. I can proudly say that I enjoy watching this movie on a Friday night as much as I enjoy watching a film like 'The Gentlemen' or 'Knives Out' on a Friday night. I appreciate good movies, good scripts, thought out animation or visual effects and clever casting. I don't care what age the film is aimed at if it ticks all of those boxes then I enjoy it. No need for extra villains or a 'dark' feel to the film. This movie wasn't written with a sequel in mind and it wasn't left for an obvious sequel which is even more pleasing. It starts, it has a middle, it has conflict and resolution and it has an ending. Simple yet effective and yet most script writers seem to forget the resolution or ending in favour of a sequel which almost always leaves them with a terrible movie and not the success for a sequel. A good script can do a lot more than good effects (as proven by Avatar and Star Wars 7-9).
Take your kids, sit down one evening and watch this film. If you don't have children then sit down alone or with friends/family and watch this film. It doesn't matter how old you are, you can enjoy this film if you appreciate imagination and a well written script.
No comments:
Post a Comment