IN A NUTSHELL:
Thank you to Viva Kids for sending me a press screener so I could watch this before it was released in theaters!
The action-packed animation was written and directed by Ross Venokur. Its message is that it's not the size of the competitor that matters, but the size of the dream. It's about Zhi, a rookie race car driver, who gets the opportunity to compete against the reigning champion of the rally car circuit. With help from a former driver-turned-mechanic, Zhi must overcome treacherous terrain, rival racers, and unexpected obstacles to prove he has what it takes to be the next great racer.
THINGS I LIKED:
The family-friendly flick features the popular voices of Jimmy O. Yang, J. K. Simmons, Chloe Bennet, Lisa Lu, Catherine Tate, Sharon Horgan, and John Cleese.
I've been a fan of J. K. Simmons for years and have never heard him use the entertaining accent he does in this movie before! Nice job! I wonder how he came up with it. He kind of sounded like an old Jewish New York man.
This extremely colorful (so much purple!) action animation definitely has a Chinese culture vibe. Typical street scenes show people doing Tai Chi, playing Mahjong, and buying street food: all things I love about China. I've been there many times and love so much about the culture. My daughter-in-law is Chinese, as well as my new, little grandson!
I actually knew a French man who could catch a fly like the grandma does in the movie. Ha ha
Your kids will learn a little bit about Tai Chi and Daoism.
There is a lot of cute visual and spoken humor.
The pregnant, male seahorse is cute and will introduce kids to that unique paternal creature. Back when I lived in San Diego, I took my kids to the fantastic Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography where we walked into the seahorse area when a father seahorse had just given birth! Amazing!
The peppy soundtrack gives the film a lot of energy. The high-energy movie has a lot of 80s throwback songs for parents to enjoy.
There is something for everyone: action, romance, drama, and suspense.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
At the 13-minute mark, a character suddenly breaks out in a rap, which was both odd and unexpected. I thought, maybe, the movie was going to be an animated musical, but it's not.
Super predictable and cliched plot.
Dead father. Super cliched, right?
The movie is mostly going to feel like loud, colorful same-ole to parents. There's not enough to keep parents glued to their seats with their children.
At 44 minutes, the animation goes black and white and takes on a style of pencil drawings, another moment that felt odd and unexpected.
The toad's minions are inspired by yet not nearly as cute as Despicable Me's minions.
It would have been cute to have an after-credits scene. I always love those.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Lots of car crashes and destruction
Some fighting
Some of the vocabulary will be too advanced for kids. Some Yiddish words are also used.
Some Mandarin is spoken with and without subtitles.
Kissing
Dishonest behavior
Reference to a character flipping the bird with his fingers.
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