In the glory days of animation, audiences could never expect what they would see next. There were rats pulling the hair of chefs and bald superheroes asking where their super suit was. However, in the past few years, the quality of movies around the world has dropped off a cliff, especially in animation. There were 11 animated movies made during the lockdown, many of which may not even be recognizable to the average moviegoer.
In its list of pandemic animated movies, IMDb shows that Disney Pixar’s “Soul” was the only movie to break the 8-star mark. Among the others stood “Onward,” another Pixar project, which failed to move past even the box office.
This disappointing sequence of releases displayed that the downward spiraling animated movie industry failed to produce more than one animated movie that truly captured the attention of audiences nationwide.
Thankfully, recent developments in the industry have gotten people off their couches and back to the theaters for an evolving set of films. The freshest movie in viewers’ minds may be “Transformers One”, an animated film that displays the origin stories of the franchise’s classic characters Bumblebee and Optimus Prime in a new 3D animated fashion. The movie was a smash hit, garnering thousands of positive reviews on YouTube and IMDb, achieving a rating of 7.7 stars on IMDb. “Transformers One” earned an 89% on the Tomatometer from Rotten Tomatoes, a site that measures audience satisfaction with films. “Transformers One” also featured a grapevine of industry talent, with recognizable actors such as Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johanssen. The film not only captured the attention of audiences but also the devotion of renowned actors along for the ride.
Thankfully, “Transformers One” is not a one-off for the recent success of the animation industry. “The Wild Robot,” a film that details the story of a robot and its life in nature, captured the hearts of viewers everywhere. Garnering a whopping 98% satisfaction rate on Rotten Tomatoes, it represents a compelling emotional story that displays animation as a medium for deeper connection. The film takes a step back from the fast paced and action packed approach that many of its counterparts take. Instead, it focused on scenery and a slow progression of events to tell the story of the main character, a robot. Oftentimes, adults are forced to view movies they would have otherwise not watched, but “The Wild Robot” has transformed that stereotype into a strength. Evident of the success in audience satisfaction, parents and children alike think the film was unique, and that its different animated approach was ultimately a success.
The animation industry is not done with its recent bonanza yet. The most recognizable face of the industry now is the Spider-Verse franchise, featuring Miles Morales as its main protagonist in an array of sticky circumstances. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was hailed by many to be the peak of animation itself, claiming its advanced animation served as a perfect display of what a determined studio can make. It earned an 8.6 on the IMDb scale, an outstanding score usually only given to non-animated movies. The sequel, “Beyond the Spider-Verse,” still has fans theorizing over its potential release date. Although projected to be in the distant future, it represents a beacon of continued success for the animation industry.
The film industry often mistreats the animation sector; animation serves as a reminder that art comes in many forms. Being more colorful and hyperactive than their live action counterparts, animated movies have served to entertain moviegoers for decades. Popcorn munchers everywhere have missed this medium, and can look forward to more releases in the near future. After its vacation, animation is back in full force.
