A cat, a dog, a lemur, a bird, and a capybara gather on a boat. No, it’s not the start of a silly joke, but just part of the plot of the animated fantasy adventure Flow.
The film begins with a cat out and about, looking for food, and coming across a pack of dogs barking and chasing a rabbit. Cat evades the pack and goes back to his home, where it’s clear that he once lived with a human artist. However, some cataclysmic events seem to have wiped out mankind.
The next day, Cat is out again searching for food when one dog from yesterday’s pack tries to make friends with him, which is not to Cat’s liking. Cat then sees the pack of dogs running at top speed and looking scared. He runs as well, only to be overtaken by a giant flood that devastates his home and most of the land.
Cat swims to higher ground, continuously seeking safe refuge from the rising water. In the near distance, Cat spies a small sailboat and meows hoping someone onboard will rescue him. The boat, because of the current, floats toward him and he jumps for it just as the water overtakes the ledge where he’s trapped.
Aboard the boat is a mellow capybara who seems to recognize that the boat will keep them safe from the flood. While floating along, they pick up a lemur, determined to collect as many objects as it can. The cute and lovable dog, who tried to make friends with Cat, and a large injured-yet-proud bird, who learns to steer the boat with its working rudder, also seek shelter on the abandoned boat.
Together, these mismatched animals form an unlikely friendship. They bond together to survive as they travel with the current through the ever-rising water, past fallen trees, and by towers and tall buildings.
Flow is a stunningly animated, dialogue-free, compelling adventure focusing on animals from different backgrounds and packs coming together to survive and become a family. It’s masterfully crafted and one of the best animated films to come along in decades.
The perfect pacing by director Gints Zilbalodis and the musical score and sound work by Rihards Zalupe help create and control the tension and flawlessly convey what the animals, especially the cat, are feeling and thinking. The filmmakers used real sound recordings of animals in the film, helping to bring the animals alive on screen.
Their experience with the flood changes each animal. Contrary to instinct, the dog leaves his pack to team up with his new friend. The injured bird takes on a leadership role within the group of animals it would normally view as food or foe. The lemur must eventually decide which is more important: his collection of objects or his new friends. But it’s the cat, the moral center of the film and the audience’s entry into this world, who’s affected most. Cat learns to overcome his fear of water and learns to trust, help, and share with his new friends. All of which are important life lessons wonderfully played out through the actions and sounds of the animals.
With stunning animation, no dialogue, and a simple but gripping story, Flow is not just the best animated film of the year but one of the best films of 2024. It’s a must-see!
GRADE: A+
MPAA Rating: PG for peril and thematic elements
Release Date: November 22, 2024 (limited)
Running Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Distributor: Sideshow / Janus Films
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