It’s a wonderfully strange world.
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Remember being a kid, sat in front of papers and crayons, just doodling away your wildest imaginations? Trees with feet? Chickens with human hands? Nothing had to make sense, it’s your world.
Now imagine some of those kids growing up and having real-time jobs that allow them to bring said wild imaginations to life. You'll see Strange World.
Directed by Don Hall (Moana, Big Hero 6), written and co-directed by Qui Nguyen (Raya and the Last Dragon), Strange World follows the Clades, a legendary family of explorers who must set aside their differences as they embark on a journey to a mysterious planet named Avalonia, inhabited by surreal lifeforms. The film features the voices of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, and Lucy Liu.
Of all the cast, Quaid stands out as the most surprising with his fun delivery as the wild and burly explorer Jaeger Clade (think Rip Torn’s Zeus in Hercules). His upbeat enthusiasm and strong growls is a great contrast to Gyllenhaal’s more toned down and less adventurous character Searcher Clade, a role which Gyllenhaal seems rightly fit for. It’s a treat in its own to think the man has the face of a Disney prince but the perfect voice for a timid 40-year-old. Young-White, Union, and Liu round out the cast as the youngest Clade Ethan, Searcher's wife Meridian and Callisto Mal accordingly but their presence leave no lasting impression the way Quaid does.
The studio is no stranger with representing generational trauma in its films but the closure we get with the multi-generational Clade storyline might just be its best one yet. The storyline for its human characters is a little predictable but the strength of Strange World lies with its interesting setting. (It's all in the name!) The vibrant colours and unique characters that detail Avalonia makes the whole film pop with excitement that’ll have viewers in awe with childlike wonder. It validates your wildest imaginations. Flying manta rays? Check. Pink dinosaur-like creatures? Yes, please!
Disney may have entered unknown territories with its uncharacteristic creations in Strange World but it never loses its core appeal of successfully embedding messages for viewers of all ages to connect with and learn from. With this, it's finding your place in the world. Also, that twist?? M. Night Shyamalan would be proud. We’ll be thinking of it for days.
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