Flow (2024)
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
[Rated PG] 1hr 25min
★★★★½
Flow is an animated fantasy adventure film about a cat trying to survive through a massive natural disaster. The cat encounters a variety of other animals along the way as they all endure the hardships brought by the flood and rising tide that completely reshaped the world.
This is one of the most beautiful films of the year in both its story and visual style. The film has no dialogue at all, so every animal communicates their thoughts and emotions solely through body language and actions. The unique animation accurately depicts real animal behaviors, and the camera movement perfectly emulates the handheld motion of physical cameras, so the entire experience feels incredibly lifelike. The landscapes are also spectacular, and they add a persistent undertone of terrifying wonder throughout the film. In addition, the score plays an important role in emphasizing the emotional tones of the story due to the absence of dialogue, and it completely succeeds in doing so. All of these elements work perfectly together to create a highly compelling story that effectively conveys its ideas by fully utilizing every aspect of its medium.
I highly recommend Flow to everyone for its exceptional animation and moving story. Cat lovers in particular will enjoy watching the adorable protagonist explore beautiful environments, and anyone can appreciate the film’s attention to detail. With many tense and emotional moments, this movie provides a wonderful experience that is definitely worth watching at the cinema.
Flow is now playing in theaters. Click here to watch the Official US Trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper