joneslepidas-26457

I really wanted to like this movie. Even though I'm not Asian, I'm fully aware of how badly Asian people have been stereotyped in Hollywood movies. Especially Asian women, who were often portrayed as soft-spoken, submissive, and subservient.

Unfortunately, the people who made this movie have substituted one set of old stereotypes for another set. The Chinese women in this movie aren't subservient; they're mean, selfish, and "catty." (I especially hated the scene where Nick's old girlfriend harasses his current girlfriend.)The awful stereotypes that Hollywood has far too often imposed on white actresses are now being applied to Chinese actresses.

Is this really progress for Chinese actresses?!

It's NOT. This movie is dehumanizing and UNFAIR to Asian women. I had hoped that this movie--made by Asians!--would have portrayed Chinese women in a more enlightened light. I was hoping to see intelligent female Chinese characters who had solid friendships with each other. Not here. What a shame!

There's a lot to like about this cartoon. For starters, it has an original and very imaginative story: a cat who's taught to fly by a maternal eagle. I also loved the sweet relationship between the two cats, which was unusual for a cartoon from this period. The animation was well-drawn, and the colours were rich and beautiful. The musical score was lovely and well-suited to the action.

But one thing ruined this cartoon for me: the ending. Although the bulldog was the villain in this short, his fate--stuck on top of a very high building with no way to get down again and nobody to help him (and how would anyone even SEE him up there?)--was far too cruel and mean-spirited. It really ruined this cartoon for me.

I wish I could reach through the screen and rescue that poor bulldog! No villain deserves this!