The latest animated feature from disney, Avalonia, the Strange Journey (Strange World), hits US theaters (and other countries) on November 23. Some critics from across the Atlantic have already seen the film and posted their first thoughts on social media. In France, it will be necessary to wait until the end of December to be able to discover it, and this, exclusively on Disney+.
Quite clear-cut opinions on Avalonia, the Strange Voyage
Discover below a selection of first opinions on Avalonia, the Strange Journey, shared by the American press. First, the film has been hailed for its ability to deliver a story on a grand scale, delivering heartfelt sequences about how to make the world a better place, as the reporter points out. Courtney Howard of variety :
” Avalonia, the Strange Journey is a large-scale, pulpy fantasy-adventure, home to radical, colorful world-building and harrowing character direction. Her feelings about legacy and making the world a better place are charming and disarming. Moreover, there is a super cute three-legged puppy, which will win everyone’s hearts. »
#StrangeWorld is a large scale, pulpy adventure-fantasy housing radical, colorful world-building & heartrending character-drive. Its sentiments on legacy & making the world a better place is charming & disarming. Plus, there’s a super cute 3-legged pup, who’ll win everyone’s ❤️s. pic.twitter.com/lLax2LqXIT
Some viewers appreciated the film’s detailed animation.
” Avalonia, the Strange Journey has the best animation I’ve seen regarding landscape and character detail. The world is beautiful. The story is a bit shallow until the end where it makes you think about climate change and how we deal with our environment and our heritage. Not climate change LOL, just about how we as a society focus too much on technology and advancement at the expense of the environment. » Laura Sirikul for Nerdist
#StrangeWorld has the best animation I’ve seen regarding the details of the landscape & characters. The world is beautiful. The story is kinda shallow until the end where it gets you thinking about climate change & how we treat our environment & legacy.
The critic BSL of One Take News praises the film’s LGBTQ representation, but notes that it suffers from a “mediocre script”.
” Most of the time, Avalonia, the Strange Voyage is amusing. It has gorgeous visuals, a fun cast, an important message, and great LGBTQ representation. What drags it down is the tattered story, questionable pacing, and poor script. If the script had been worked on more, it would have been a great help. If it wasn’t a project disneyI would have much more praise for him, but disney has very high standards for its animation work, so this film was somewhat underwhelming. »
For the most part, #StrangeWorld is fun. It’s got gorgeous visuals, a fun cast, an important message and great LGBTQ representation. What drags it down is the by-the-numbers story, iffy pacing and mediocre script. If the script was worked on more, that would’ve been a big help. pic.twitter.com/YwRa3z9enz
And he’s not the only one who thinks the film manages to have great LGBTQ representation, since Jeff Nelson of Screen Rant declares:
” Avalonia, the Strange Voyage cooks up a beautifully animated world with bizarre creatures and environments as well as a sweet, multi-generational story about fathers and sons. Natural LGBTQ inclusion feels great in a place like this. »
#StrangeWorld/#DisneyStrangeWorld concocts a gorgeously animated world with bizarre creatures and environments along with a sweet multi-generational story about fathers and sons. Natural LGBTQ inclusion feels good in a place like this. pic.twitter.com/HmdngQWTkG
Daniel Howat of Next Best Picture share this opinion about Avalonia, the Strange Voyage :
” Avalonia, the Strange Voyage has a beautifully animated (and weird) world. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t have enough narrative thrust to maintain the momentum of the adventure. Heavy themes take precedence, leaving the story in the dust. It’s pretty nice, but a miss overall. »
#StrangeWorld has a beautifully animated (and strange) world. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t have enough narrative thrust to keep the momentum of the adventure going. Heavy-handed themes take priority, leaving the story in the dust.
Conversely, Liam T. Crowley of comic book seems to think that Avalonia, the Strange Voyage is the “animated film of the year”. High praise indeed!
“I feel good calling #StrangeWorld the animated film of the year. The visuals are stunning and the score of Henry Jackman is beautiful, but at its heart is a beautiful age-old message that is rightfully resurrected for a new generation. I hope many families will watch this together. »
I feel good about calling #StrangeWorld the animated film of the year. The visuals are stunning & Jackman’s score is magnificent, but at its core is a beautiful age-old message that is rightfully resurrected for a new generation. I hope that many families watch this together. pic.twitter.com/oS1uFKNX8N
Larry Fried of Slash Movie returns when to him more on the striking themes of the film and the important messages that it conveys through its history to the “old fashioned charm”.
” It’s a film disney made by dads for dads. Much eliminates the traditional metaphorical storytelling tropes of disney to address themes of generational trauma and environmentalism. Progressive storytelling with old-fashioned charm and gorgeous animation. I will admit that he lacks the care and tact of the standard of disney, as well as a conventional villain to give the plot higher stakes. But there’s so much to admire in the story, frankly tackling tough themes for any family movie with a whole lot of heart. »
#StrangeWorld : a Disney film made by dads for dads. Strips away a lot Disney’s traditional metaphorical storytelling tropes to get to brass tacks on themes of generational trauma and environmentalism. Progressive storytelling with an old-fashioned charm and gorgeous animation. pic.twitter.com/l7srXzG982
The expert Eric Goldman of Get Fandom was rather surprised by the result, in a good way:
” Avalonia, the Strange Voyage surprised me. I hadn’t been thrilled with the trailers, but it’s incredibly imaginative and creative, once again highlighting just how limitless animation can be. There are very endearing characters and I loved the fantastic world (as in the title!) that it introduces. »
#StrangeWorld surprised me. I hadn’t been excited by the trailers, but it’s incredibly imaginative and creative, once more underlining just how limitless animation can be. It’s got very engaging characters and I loved the fantastical world (like in the title!) it introduces.
Finally, the influencer Johnny Rome highlights, among other things, the fantastic work carried out by Jaboukie Young-White in the role of Ethan.
“#StrangeWorld is an exciting adventure into a living world beyond imagination. It’s a heartfelt exploration of legacy – the generations that speak and those that deserve to be heard. Jaboukie Young-White stole the show for me. Get ready for this one. »
#StrangeWorld is an exciting adventure into a vivid world beyond imagination. It’s a heartfelt exploration of legacy— the generations that speak and the ones that deserve to be heard. Jaboukie Young-White stole the show for me. Brace yourselves for this one. pic.twitter.com/qKCxcKQVrO
We will still be surprised by the lack of enthusiasm from the press because very few social reactions were published overnight. Also, if we had to be measured, the American press is often dithyrambic with animated films disney, regardless of their quality. And this time, it was more shared as shown by these first opinions on Avalonia, with some critics pointing out the lack of ambition in the storytelling. We will have to wait several more weeks in France to be able to form a definitive opinion on this disney of Christmas, which clearly, does not benefit from a consequent promotion (a beginning of admission of failure for disney ?).
Avalonia, the Strange Voyage introduces us to a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted and treacherous land alongside a motley crew and a host of ravenous creatures.
The voice cast includes:
Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission,
Dennis Quaid as Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger,
Jaboukie Young-White as Searcher’s 16-year-old son, Ethan, who yearns for adventure,
Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things,
lucy liu as Callisto Mal, the fearless leader of Avalonia who leads exploration into the Strange World.
Directed by director Don Hall and co-director/screenwriter Who Nguyenand produced by Roy Conlithe film will be unveiled on American screens and around the world from November 23, 2022. In France, you will have to wait at least 45 additional days to hope to discover it on Disney+. (Re)discover its latest trailer and all of its posters here and here.
