Flow is a 2024 animated fantasy feature film directed by Gints Zilbalodis. The film was created entirely on the free animation software Blender and stylistically sets itself apart from other animated films of the Disney and Pixar variety by containing no dialogue whatsoever. Flow has been showered with numerous accolades, most recently being the “Best Animated Feature” at this year’s Golden Globe Awards. The story follows a small grey cat as he navigates the disastrous aftermath of a tsunami with a group of other animals.
To begin, this film is absolutely gorgeous. The animation is so stylized and colorful, which is excellent for a film as whimsical as this one. The shots of nature specifically are breathtaking and do a wonderful job of recreating the surreal beauty of the outdoor environment that exists right outside our windows. The film also contains a flawless score, able to be both calming and powerfully tension-filled throughout the runtime.
A small criticism I have for this movie is that its runtime is quite short. Flow wraps up its story in just under the hour and a half mark. While Flow manages to accomplish a lot in that short amount of time, I wish that it had been longer, if only to see some more extended versions of earlier scenes. Another criticism is that while this movie did contain an ending that left me devastated and speechless for the remainder of my afternoon, the story is very simple. The movie centers around a group of animals who never speak during the film. While this is one of the traits I enjoyed about Flow, allowing for an excellent depiction of wordless storytelling through the expressions and emotions of the various characters, it does hold this film back marginally by not always revealing the intentions behind certain scenes and actions of the characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed Flow. Despite its simplistic nature, its beautiful visuals, amazing scenery, and impressive animation all combined to develop a heartwarming story. I would recommend you to check out this film for yourself. It’s a calming, feel-good tale that is swimming in unbridled charm and deserves to be watched and enjoyed by all.
