Smallfoot

Warner Bros. | Release Date: September 28, 2018

6.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 86 Ratings

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TrevorsViewOct 4, 2018

When I first saw the trailers to both The LEGO Movie and Zootopia, each to me looked childish with humor practically designed to annoy me, then once seeing them respectively after the overwhelming praise came in, wow: the incredible comedicWhen I first saw the trailers to both The LEGO Movie and Zootopia, each to me looked childish with humor practically designed to annoy me, then once seeing them respectively after the overwhelming praise came in, wow: the incredible comedic depth of The LEGO Movie blew me away, while Zootopia easily became my favorite movie of 2016! I was so impressed by how both communicated deep political themes in a fashion that kids can understand, something more animated films need to pay more attention to.

How does that relate to Smallfoot? Well, from the trailer alone, I expected surface-level substance made just for kids and nobody else, and the finished product is in fact a bit more than that. While not better than The LEGO Movie or Zootopia, the Warner Animation Group still provide surprisingly deep social commentary about border control, abuse of the working class, communication with differences, and even past religious influence on an economic climate.

The pale blue yeti colony upon a Himalayan mountaintop are not like the rising and setting sun they worship, they follow a strict belief system written on stone tablets; if it’s not written in stone (literally), it’s false. Yes, even if it means the stones say a yak’s anus created their mountain which giant mammoths hold up on their backs, they believe it. These folks are under the rule of a Stonekeeper who wears these laws. Those rough ancient stones make the Stonekeeper appear clung to past ideas that weigh him down, along with every worker who labor for nothing but to cover up a big political lie that could explain why there’s more clouds in the sky. That doesn’t make this land any more believable unfortunately: within this ice-behemoth utopia, the mammoths are dogs and the snails are lamps, which proves nothing more than servitude for the convenience of gags over common sense, much like any computer animation studio that isn’t Disney or Pixar.

Anyhow, the main character of the story, Migo, has a father who holds a crucial duty of headbutting a giant gong via slingshot morning after morning to wake the giant snail (sun) in the sky. His head is flattened from continual gong striking—a hazardous old tradition that Migo will someday assume. That’s why he feels a calling to something greater, something new, something that… starts with a slow-motion pratfall when he slips on snow. Yeah… there’s still a lot of cheap humor that makes the first two acts a little tedious. The blandness of the feature gets to be a bit more noticeable once Migo meets a human named Percy, or the mythical “smallfoot.” A language barrier prevents proper communication between these two as an attempt to drive the film’s heart, although not enough boosts their bond to the extent of WALL-E and EVE.

At least the architecture of rock murals influenced by the yetis’ mythological beliefs give some extra meaning in the visuals, including a yellow butterfly (representing new thinking) frozen inside a blue icicle (representing old thinking) focused on during one musical number. Yes, there’s numerous dull songs scattered throughout as if an attempt to rip off Disney, none of which are a “Circle of Life” or “Hakuna Matata” kind of deal. The staging of these songs is unimaginative too, as Percy at one point leads a love song surrounded by YouTube videos against blackness, which just looks forced. Also, the Stonekeeper raps, which doesn’t make sense considering he would have no way of knowing what such a music genre is. As much as the artists try to convey a love for nature, it can’t lift a story dragged by a constantly quick pace.

Though the well-done animation itself does masterfully blow Migo’s hair to a thick blizzard that blankets the view, much more attractive than anything similar from twenty years ago. Plus, the facial expressions are just right, unhidden and memorable to enhance some nice laughs scattered throughout. One of the more notable examples includes a toilet paper roll dubbed a “scroll of invisible wisdom,” plenty funny enough to sustain excitement. But those genuinely funny moments are far from consistent, as the poor directorial pacing ends numerous jokes way too soon for an effective punchline. The direction suffers a bit too from the painful slapstick that defies physics: Migo’s rubbery body survives falling 500 feet then getting sandwiched between two rock pillars. Yeah, it’s a cartoon, but such a lack of care in establishing real danger removes all tension.

That’s really the whole kit-and-kaboodle of Smallfoot: despite how its main human character plans to fake yeti sightings for the sake of viewers, there’s still the other useless plot devices, such as a dead mother, that stop this butterfly from fully emerging from its chrysalis. Therefore, the harmless entertainment will keep the kids entertained, with just enough depth to make the parents not tear their hair out; and that’s the truth.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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TVJerryOct 7, 2018

Life is happy for a village of Bigfoot creatures living in seclusion high in the mountains, until one of them (voiced by Channing Tatum) discovers a human (James Corden). Same thing with this animated film, it bounds out of the gate with aLife is happy for a village of Bigfoot creatures living in seclusion high in the mountains, until one of them (voiced by Channing Tatum) discovers a human (James Corden). Same thing with this animated film, it bounds out of the gate with a bouncy song and lots of physical comedy. When the titular character starts to complicate the story, the fun starts to dip, while messages of acceptance move to the fore. None of the characters, including expected zany supporting roles are especially memorable. The remaining musical numbers aren't as inventive or catchy. Even though there's plenty of energy, the level of fun never really returns, but there's probably sufficient entertainment value for young audiences.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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TyranianMar 20, 2020

Not unenjoyable and the visuals are solid but it really doesn't offer much.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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PanchogulJun 4, 2020

No esperaba que se tratara de un musical, lo cual no fue mucho de mi agrado.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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amheretojudgeFeb 8, 2019

Wrong Key With A Right Note.

Smallfoot Warner Brother looks like half Illumination and half Disney, and clearly far away from being Pixar. This knack of creating a whole new world and jumping on another perspective to draw in the laughs andWrong Key With A Right Note.

Smallfoot

Warner Brother looks like half Illumination and half Disney, and clearly far away from being Pixar. This knack of creating a whole new world and jumping on another perspective to draw in the laughs and humanize the characters- it may sound like a long procedure- is clearly outdated. And addition to that with chalky conversation that raises doubts more than it advances the storyline, it shucks away the integrity within first few minutes. The music too isn't engaging or melodious to convince us to hum along (except for the last track) but what's worse above all is the fact that it isn't an essential part of the narration, it feels like the makers are spending up their time.

The emotional shots that will help you connect instantly are frankly cheap and manipulative, overriding the only piece of content that they have, this predictable storytelling gives away everything in one shot and then is left with nothing but petty laughs and empty music notes. The background tale of blending in the nature of wilderness and social animals, is narrowed down to a better and admirable point but with that comes a great amount of baggage that you ought to lop off and suffer for; not a fair trade.

Aforementioned the humor is quite childish, it is one thing to not explore new territories and draw a line on R rated ones, and another to have a pun that is incompetent to draw in a single laugh. But still with fumbles like this here and there and ironical comedy as it puts us in a different shoes, the film qualifies with good visuals and a happy go lucky tone. Tatum, Zendaya and Corden lifts up few tunes nicely with some good work on voicing their characters. Smallfoot has too big a foot to fit in the shoes, expectations outgrows potential and pretentious inessential melodrama fills in the void.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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ALAMLEDPJan 21, 2023

Smallfoot is an animated film produced by Warner Animation Group, which tells the story of Migo, a Yeti whose world is turned upside down when he encounters a mythical "smallfoot," or a human. The film is based on a book by Spanish animatorSmallfoot is an animated film produced by Warner Animation Group, which tells the story of Migo, a Yeti whose world is turned upside down when he encounters a mythical "smallfoot," or a human. The film is based on a book by Spanish animator Sergio Pablos and is aimed at children. The animation is bright and cheerful, and the tone is light-hearted, but the film lacks originality and visual distinction. The plot is similar to other family-friendly films, and the animation is reminiscent of other movies produced by Illumination. The cast includes Channing Tatum, James Corden, Danny DeVito, Zendaya and Patricia Heaton, and LeBron James. The film is a lighthearted distraction for children and encourages them to be more inquisitive. However, it also contains a deeper message about the rejection of scriptural authority and questioning societal norms, and it ends with a heartfelt finale.
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Smallfoot es una película animada producida por Warner Animation Group, que cuenta la historia de Migo, un Yeti cuyo mundo se pone patas arriba cuando se encuentra con un mítico "pequeño pie" o humano. La película está basada en un libro del animador español Sergio Pablos y está dirigida a niños. La animación es brillante y alegre, y el tono es alegre, pero la película carece de originalidad y distinción visual. La trama es similar a la de otras películas para toda la familia y la animación recuerda a otras películas producidas por Illumination. El elenco incluye a Channing Tatum, James Corden, Danny DeVito, Zendaya y Patricia Heaton, y LeBron James. La película es una distracción alegre para los niños y los anima a ser más curiosos. Sin embargo, también contiene un mensaje más profundo sobre el rechazo de la autoridad bíblica y el cuestionamiento de las normas sociales, y termina con un final conmovedor.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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