The review of “The Monster of the Seas”, a truly elegant Netflix animated film

And I must say with a great soundtrack.

I have listened to the song from the film Captain Crow several times. I embed it below in the English version. Unfortunately I have not found it on the web in the Italian version, but it is very beautiful. I tried to reproduce it below the English version, hoping that Netflix will allow me to share it. I’m sure your kids will like it too.

Ah, small note: it is the animated film that I enjoyed the most in this 2022.

Director and co-writer Chris Williams decided to bring big ideas and lots of action to this made Netflix story.

By the way, in ancient times, people believed that there really are monsters and the end of the world beyond the Pillars of Hercules. The Pillars of Hercules were represented by the Strait of Gibraltar. Sailors were terrified by these legends. Probably the same people who had spread these rumors were the rulers of the time as well as the Church, which loved to have the faithful as slaves, so as to receive more expensive offers. It’s nice to see how the animated film The Monster of the Seas re-proposes a bit – with its own style – these historical legends, where the rulers make believe that the monsters are the bad ones while in reality they are good creatures and that they react to the attacks of the humans only to defend themselves.

By the way, the director of Monster from the Sea, a certain Chris Williams, is not exactly an unknown. He previously directed Big Hero 6 and Oceania. This is his first film with Netflix.

What is The Sea Monster about?

A young orphan, Maisie Brumble (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) has read all about hunters in books. Men and women who sail the waters looking for monsters to kill and preventing them from reaching populated coasts. According to the history written by the crown of this kingdom, the war between humanity and the huge inhabitants of the sea is a long-standing conflict in which humans only act to defend themselves.

Among the heroic sailors Maisie admires are Captain Crow (Jared Harris) and his protégé Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). Determined to kill the Red Fury, Crow goads the sailors on his ship, the Inevitable, explaining that that is his life’s goal. He reminds me a lot of Captain Ahab’s hunt for Moby Dick. Meanwhile, Jacob, a famous hunter, follows Crow’s orders like a son listening to his father.

When the royals threaten to terminate their alliance with the hunters, Crow vows to capture The Red Fury once and for all. But when Maisie and Jacob discover that the creatures of the seas are just as afraid of them, matters get more interesting, as the two challenge the tales written by the rulers.

The action sequences of Monster from the Sea and the cinematography are spectacular… the fluidity of the fights is incredible. For example, the first fight between the crew of the Inevitable and an octopus-like monster boasts some of the most compelling camera movements in the history of animation. The segment introduces Jacob’s courage and skill, setting the adventurous tone that prevails throughout the film.

The same cannot be said of the character design in some sequences. Close-up shots of Captain Crow and other supporting characters aboard the Inevitable show poorly detailed figures; their faces and animations remind me of those of 3D video games many years ago. Such a pity. The monsters themselves, including the Red Fury and Maisie’s perky pet Blue, are low on design detail. It’s as if the budget was used entirely for the set design and not for accurately designing the characters. Williams probably found himself in crisis without the infrastructure of Walt Disney Animation.

The coolest story arc of Sea Monster is undoubtedly that of little Maisie, who is willing to question what she thought was true, even though her parents died while hunting these alleged monsters.

And have you seen The Monster of the Seas? Let me know what you think through the comments. I’ll leave you with my final comment which you can read below.