An inert and dead-eyed perfunctory CGI family parable. Its very much a Hallmark/Disney/family movie of the week with a CGI budget and one notable faced actor and the usual named voice ensemble. As a kid friendly feature that goes out of its way not to make waves, not really ask any questions, and keep everything and everyone evened out, it does its job. But it such a ‘ho-hum’ of a film.
The talking menagerie of chained labor animals might be grating if it could muster any kind of emotion whatsoever. The story and characters are cardboard cutouts. I suppose the CGI is the best element, but I also can’t point to any particularities that I would claim as exemplar. There is a ridiculousness to the “talking animals” that didn’t separate it much in my mind from an Air Bud with a budget.
This feels like the kind of film that would fit for the mom or dad nursing a baby hangover and need something completely blank and unassuming as they sweat off the post-alcohol haze next to their child. You won’t remember it but you also won’t miss it.
