Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)

 

We all have been teenagers at one point in our lives. But we could never unleash our full potential. Luckily, through the power of animation, DreamWorks proves that teenage power in their latest feature, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken”. And while it doesn't fit a three act structure, it does make up for good performances, interesting characters, and good morals in the end. “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” is a decent portrayal of being an outcast in the water; pun intended.

The plot involves Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor), a teenager who just so happens to be a descendant from the monstrous kraken that everyone fears. Along with her parents Agatha and Arthur (Toni Collette and Colman Domingo respectively), and her younger brother Sam (Blue Chapman), Ruby must blend in with the humans and try not to go into the water. That is until her crush sends Ruby into the ocean, and transforms her entire body into a giant kraken. Under the tutelage of her grandmother (Jane Fonda), Ruby must protect the city from the evils of mermaids trying to take over the world, while also trying to fit in with society.

As far as production value goes, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” does hit a few good notes.

For starters, the animation goes well within the environment that this movie creates. A town that resides right next to the ocean has a lot of possibilities, and the backgrounds and sets really emphasize it well. Plus, the character designs do feel like they are from a young adult book illustration, and are unique in their own right. From the stretchy and wavy movements of Ruby and her family, to the cleverness of the humans, the designs in this movie are definitely a look at.

Another interesting aspect of the film are the performances. Everyone that is in their respective roles does a great job with each character they are given.

The cast is near perfect. Condor nails an abnormal teenager going through a rough move. She manages trying to blend a social life with the secret identity of being a monster. Collette is great as the mother trying to get the family coming together so that everything can return back to normal. And more importantly, Fonda if the perfect choice to place the older generation; she leads with tenacity, and is a treat to hear her voice on the big screen. But the biggest surprise to the major cast is Will Forte as a sea captain bent on capturing a kraken. His performance really stands through mostly due to the fact that the character in question is over the top, and truly a sight to behold.

However, with all that said, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” does have a few problems.

For starters, some of the actors are not that convincing. These include Liza Koshy, Eduardo Franco, and Ramona Young who are Ruby's best friends, and that's all they are. They could have given better performances or better advice to Ruby, but they contribute little to nothing in the movie. There is also Annie Murphy, who is basically the new girl at school, who tries to befriend Ruby for what she believes are the right choices. However, once her true intentions come out, it becomes predictable to the rest of the movie.

And that leads to the biggest problem with the movie: the story.

While everything is easy to figure out, it can be a bit too easy to figure out. On top of this, the whole production is predictable, and you can figure out all of the moments where the movie is going to go. You can even tell what the big twist is going to be, and when it is finally revealed, there is no shock value. Plus, with a running time of only 90 minutes, the movie rushes at a really fast pace. This gives the viewer not enough to time to get to know what is going on, or who people and characters are. If the movie had taken its time, slowed down for a bit, then it would have been perfect.

One final issue to address with this film is that the music in the movie is not that engaging. From the orchestrations to even the songs featured on the soundtrack, it's not that appealing to the ears.

In conclusion, while “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” isn't the worst thing to come from DreamWorks, and if things had improved greatly, then we would have gotten a perfect film which would have dealt with teenage issues in a more unique and comical way.