'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' Review: Dreamworks Plays it Safe (and Sweet)
Coming in hot off the all-encompassing success that was last year’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Dreamworks has stepped back into the cinematic ring less than six months later with the newest entry in their long fabled filmography, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. The film follows a young kraken girl whose family have been hiding as humans for all her life; of course, that doesn’t last much longer. The journey is one of both self-discovery and self-honesty. It’s easy to get behind and, sometimes, easy to forget. Though the general indifference that this film has been met with, reflected in its early box office numbers, is undeserved either way.
It isn’t always a bad thing to play it safe and deliver perfectly harmless family fun, especially for a studio as weathered as Dreamworks. Teenage Kraken almost feels like a pit-stop for the studio, in that it serves as a sufficiently sweet little adventure that does more than enough to warrant buying a ticket. Everything it does is something you’ve seen before, sure, but none of it is particularly bad (aside from the obscene number of sugar-pop needle-drops).
The first five minutes or so are easily the strongest, even considering the consistent decency that the film achieves all the way through. After a so-so exposition dump off the rip, we’re treated to a string of surprisingly funny gags and interactions that serve as quick introductions to the characters that make up our main family. The scene bolsters the family’s dynamic, which goes on to be the beating heart of the film. The opening bit does enough on its own to ensure that you’ll be at the very least entertained by that dynamic throughout, even if you aren’t fully convinced by the drama.
The film also takes time in the first act to completely commit to the whole teenage girl, coming-of-age aura. At its best, these moments are reminiscent of everyone’s favorite Disney movies from the golden age of their T.V. movie catalog, think 16 Wishes; bedazzled in glowing pink jewels, unashamed of its target audience and absolutely living for the fun. At its worst, it feels derivative of those old fan-favorites, falling too far into the clichés and telegraphing everything down to the next line. Though from the trailers, it was clear that the biggest drawback of this one was going to be the familiarity factor; it’s up to the individual as to whether or not it’s worth taking a chance on the rest of it. That’s where the aesthetics and non-narrative elements are forced into play, and unlike many films with borrowed stories, Teenage Kraken actually makes an effort to separate itself here.
Director Kirk DeMicco imbues this one with a quirky, if not reserved, flair. The camera showcases the occasional clever swing between buttery smooth displays of movement that prioritize the colorful environments and soft, comforting designs of everything. From buildings and the bustle of city life to the ocean and all its depth, there are no sharp edges here. This feels like a further result of the film’s dedication to taking it easy, resulting in a look that isn’t at all striking, but is undeniably pleasing.
Even then though, everything above the sea looks much more compelling than that below it. The ocean-side town in which the film spends a load of time boasts some seriously neat creativity. The architecture manages to look like it belongs in the film’s outlandish setting, and further, the spaces and places above ground feel lived in. Students line the sidewalks of the school, and we get to listen to some of their conversations in passing. The people are diverse and the social aspect feels surprisingly realistic, even considering the exaggerated elements that are mostly there for comedic effect. It’s just a surprisingly convincing setting for a 90-minute animated film, and easily one of the most memorable aspects here.
But the ocean truly is an issue, despite its agreeable aesthetic. Nothing about the great depth feels that great at all, creating a sharp contrast between land and sea that, according to the film’s narrative, shouldn’t exist. Much of the main conflict is about Ruby discovering the ocean for the first time and seeing all sorts of new beauty and wonder, but visually, that grandeur isn’t really conveyed.
The vision is there, sure, but the soft edges suddenly start to seem dull after a while, and it becomes awfully boring staring into the deep blue, only occasionally highlighted with a streak of fluorescent neon color or red flashing light. This especially slows things down in the middle portion, where so much time is spent below the surface that things really start to drown out.
It almost feels like the filmmakers knew this, too, as we’re treated to multiple montages in this section that desperately try to speed things along. That’s where the majority of the pop songs come in, and they only make things worse in reminding you that this film doesn’t have a unique score either, which in turn worsens the identity problems that were already being spotlighted in this stretch. When such problems surface, they can be blinding.
Yet through it all, Ruby is an ever-compelling protagonist that is worth sticking around for. She’s superbly voice-acted by Lana Condor (To All the Boys series, Alita: Battle Angel) and is more likable than any Pixar or Illumination lead as of late. Much like the rest of the film, she’s very easy to buy into and understand, but that works for her.
Of course, caring for her means caring for her conflict, so the family drama between her, her mother, and her grandmother ends up working well enough too. Lana Condor isn’t the only one showing out either, as Toni Collette as Agatha, Ruby’s mother, Jane Fonda as Grandmamah, and Annie Murphy as Chelsea are all standouts as well.
What really tips the scale in full favor of Teenage Kraken is the final battle where, without specific spoilers, it goes full-on Kaiju warfare. Godzilla, but make him a teenage girl with tentacles and a turtleneck. The scene’s scale is impressive on its own, but the concept being so new to Dreamworks (and to mainstream animation as a whole) is what really makes the battle stand out. Following that are the film’s most compelling character moments, and a celebratory dance scene to boot. It sticks the landing and solidifies itself with a smile.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is already going unnoticed by many, but that shouldn’t be the case. It’s a consistently fun romp that simply aims to please, and it does just that. Until Dreamworks drops another masterpiece, this will certainly do for a summer move night for all. Take the whole family to it; the kids, the in-laws, even the family’s pet goldfish (this is right up his alley).