Full disclosure, this review is *technically* based on a rewatch but I’ve only seen this film twice!
When I heard Disney was releasing a film with a gay protagonist, I actually could not believe it. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that I never saw a *speck* of marketing for this movie, despite my social media pages frequently catering my ads to my children. Disney is catching up with the times, but they definitely didn’t want to be too loud about it. Romance did not play a large role in this movie; in fact there are only a couple scenes involving or mentioning our main character’s crush at all. While I think a movie with a major queer romantic plot would be groundbreaking for Disney, I also enjoyed that this movie wasn’t focused on a teen relationship and centered more around family.
So… Strange World. The movie’s protagonist, Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White) is the son of a famous explorer-turned-farmer, Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal) who discovered a groundbreaking, plant-based energy source for their society, affectionately called Pando. But when something starts killing Pando plants across the realm, Searcher and a crew of explorers head off on an journey to save it.
While traveling new terrains and stumbling across a long-lost relative, Ethan and his dad must come to terms with their differences (and their similarities) on the adventure of a lifetime.
The twist and major climax of this movie leaves the crew of adventurers with a challenging decision; the outcome of which will drastically change their world as they know it.
The visual effects in this movie are stunning. The artists and animators have created a very unique, colorful, jaw dropping realm where anything is possible and nothing is quite what you expect. Avalonia is a surreal wonderland.
The representation in this film is also fantastic. Ethan is bi-racial, his father is soft and a home body, and his mother Meridian (Gabrielle Union) is spirited and a fantastic pilot. The family has even adopted a three-legged dog. Also, the President of Avalonia is a woman called Callisto Mal (voiced by Lucy Liu.)
I think some of my favorite scenes in this movie were just genuine, fun scenes of Ethan’s family enjoying each other’s company. For example, in the beginning his parents dance together in the kitchen, embarrassing teenage Ethan, but he eventually joins in with the dog before the family moves on to breakfast and a talk about (yawn) farm chores.
Strange World is a fun, poignant and visually stunning masterpiece exploring the themes of family, self, and sustaining life. I would rate it a 9/10. I desperately wish this film had gotten half the advertising and attention as some of Disney’s other movies. (Looking at you, Frozen.)
The Midnight Review 