Jumbo

Jumbo, directed by Ryan Adriandhy, is a charming adventure about a parentless child, wrapped in Disney-like fantasy and local Indonesian flavor. The protagonist's journey is rooted in themes of integrity and the importance of keeping promises-wrapped in childlike wonder and emotional maturity.

Meri, the ghostly figure Jumbo (or Don) wants to help, evokes memories of Casper-gentle, lonely, and longing for connection. Her presence gives the story both heart and a sense of innocent mystique. The film blends light-hearted humor with emotional undertones, allowing audiences of all ages to find something meaningful.

There's clear inspiration from Monsters Inc. And The Prestige, especially in the sap sap sap scene-a nod to the three stages of a magic trick, offering misdirection and surprise. While the film leans into sci-fi, it stays grounded, like using a radio to communicate with "the other realm," creating a fantastical yet relatable world.

German culture appears subtly through Meri's family, primarily in a brief yet impactful dialogue with her mother. A standout comedic moment comes when the villain is apprehended not by global forces or the FBI-but by a humble local security officer (hansip), delivering a punchline that's uniquely Indonesian.

Playful nods to Dr. Stone and Avengers are cleverly embedded, making the film feel like a love letter to modern pop culture fans. The final emotional exchange between Don and Papa Don is reminiscent of Naruto's farewell to Yondaime-bringing unexpected emotional depth to this seemingly light tale.

With smart references, grounded storytelling, and a magical tone, Jumbo is more than a children's film. It's a warm, imaginative story for anyone who has ever loved, lost, or believed in second chances.

📌 A major Gamechanger for Indonesia Animation, film comes with great Storyline and many Pop Culture Reference, warm atmosphere at all entire of movie, will heal you inner child and you at your age right know. All characters got enough screen time with no wasted potential, every Major char got their backstory motivation and acchieve their goal at the end of story. So great for your kid as their first time at the cinema, will gain their beauty and heartwarming Core memory on their life. Ryan as writers and director just nailed it at his first directing project, Camera movement, great soundtrack and scoring all this mix and match into absolute Cinema.

There is rarely local animation made in Indonesia itself, but this is one that is directly very high-quality, in terms of graphics, animation, atmosphere and particles integrated very perfectly carrying the theme of the story and morals that bind the hearts of the audience, the storyline is also unusual compared to other animations, it is very unique with the right character, even the moral values contained in this film are very rich where one film does not only contain one moral value, Not forgetting that the introduction of Indonesian culture in this animation is very subtle so that its existence can still be known without disturbing the course of the film.

This movie feels very special. The whole movie really has a story with a great message and feeling, which is not only aimed at children but also at adults. It reminds us of being human with all the flaws and strengths and all the things that happen in our lives. That's what makes the audience, especially the adult audience, will always be attached to the characters and their feelings. In the end, it's not uncommon to feel that it's really me.

Watching Jumbo feels like a roller coaster ride of emotions. It often gives reminders without sounding patronizing. The advice really reaches the heart. The choice of animation medium feels right. The complexity of emotions presented through various characters is really felt. That's also what made me laugh, cry, nervous, and annoyed while watching.

I'm really impressed with the portrayal of the characters in Jumbo. Varied and complementary. Watching it is like watching myself. There are times when I feel like Don who misses his parents who are no longer there. Sometimes I want to be like Nurman and Mae, sometimes I am like Atta who looks tough but has something inside him. Also, sometimes I feel like the committee lady who is flat.

The story, the characters, the messages, and everything that happens in Jumbo is supported by stunning technical aspects. The world built in the story is detailed, realistic, and even nostalgic. It's full of color and feels real. Love the changing costumes of the characters. The research is really cool. Big appreciation to all the animators, costumes, and everyone behind the making of this movie.

The emotions presented are supported by the role of voice actors. In Jumbo, the voices are just right, both for the characters and what they are feeling. This makes the character feel alive and the feeling that they want to convey is conveyed. This makes the character feel alive and the feeling that they want to convey is conveyed.

What's also cool about Jumbo is the songs. I love all the songs. My favorite is the one sung by Don. I was really teary during that part. When the songs are released on music platforms, I want to listen to them again and again. Apart from the movie, which is definitely on the list of favorites to watch this year, the songs are also on the list of favorites.

Overall, Jumbo is a great movie. One of the best movies of the year. A movie that's not just for kids, but all ages. I cried when I watched it, it was so wonderful. While watching it, it's really not boring. Every dialog doesn't want to be missed. Even up to the credit title, it's funny and adorable.

For an Indonesian film, this is really good. The animation is good, both 2d and 3d. The colors in the movie were very vibrant, but when it gets serious, the colors decrease in saturation. The voice acting is nice. The music is amazing. The story is told like a children's book, but it also teaches valuable life lessons.

The 2d animation is really nice. It feels like we're watching a kid's story telling. As for the 3d animation, I liked how smooth it was. Especially the hair texture. It looks very fluffy, like a brush. But one thing about it, I feel like whenever the characters are excited or angry, the emotions showing on their faces lacked a bit of exaggeration. But when they're happy and cheerful, it's quite expressive.

The voice acting is nice and natural. But it irked me out when the voice in the beginning of the movie started sounding like those asmr videos. I get the vision, they're trying to make it calming like a bedtime story, but that type of voice is just not my cup of tea.

The songs are AMAZING! Every time a song came on, it just lifted up my mood a lot. Whoever is in charge of the songs in this movie, they should be given a raise. The songs they were playing in the movie are so catchy I would unironically put it in my playlist.

I like how they show the mentality of children. How easily swayed they are to their selfishness, and how their emotions are uncontrollable and unstable because... they're children, not adults. Some stories write the children too mature, but this movie nicely encapsulated the stubbornness of children, and how they slowly change and shape their personality better through what life and parental figures taught them.

I also like how they give each main characters a personality, as well as their own quirks. And flaws. It makes them feel a bit more human, and it also makes you invested in watching what they would do.

Some of the things that happened in the story is a bit unrealistic, but then again it's a children's movie. Although, it had a beautiful message. The story tells us how important it is to care for others, and how we shouldn't be too selfish. It also highlights the importance to let go and how holding on to the past could damage the things around us, including ourselves. It also taught us the importance of realizing the things we've done wrong, apologizing, and forgiving. Not only was this movie very imaginative, it also gave life lessons. I like when children movies aren't just entertaining, but also teaches a valuable lesson.

(SPOILERS AHEAD!!)

Out of all the main characters, I feel like only Jumbo and Atta really got a character development. Which is good since in some movies, only the main character really got a development while the other side characters stayed the same. I do wish the others also have a little bit of character development, but having more than one character development is already good enough.

When the antagonist -- the village chief --appeared, they should've given him some sort of effect or aura like the wolf from puss in the boots. It would've made him more scary and intimidating. They could've toned it down since they don't want to scare the children, but it would've been great.