I have listened to the song from the movie Captain Crow several times. I incorporate it below in the English language version. Unfortunately I have not found it on the web in the Italian version, but it is very beautiful. I tried to re-propose the English version below, hoping that Netflix will allow me to share it. I’m sure your kids will appreciate it too.
Ah, small note: it is the animated film that has enjoyed me the most in this 2022.
Director and co-writer Chris Williams has decided to bring great ideas and lots of action to this Netflix tale.
By the way, in ancient times, people believed that there really were monsters and the end of the world beyond the Pillars of Hercules. The Pillars of Hercules were represented by the Strait of Gibraltar. The sailors were terrified of 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 little – with its 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.
Incidentally, the director of The Monster of the Seas, a certain Chris Williams, is not exactly a stranger. In the past he has directed Big Hero 6 and Oceania. This is his first movie with Netflix.
What is The Monster of the Seas about?
A young orphan, Maisie Brumble (voiced in English by Zaris-Angel Hator) has read all about hunters in the books. Men and women who sail the waters in search of monsters to kill and preventing them from reaching the 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 act only to defend themselves.
Among the heroic sailors Maisie admires are Captain Crow (Jared Harris) and her protege Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). Determined to kill the Red Fury, Crow urges the sailors of his ship, the Inevitable, explaining that that is the goal of his life. He reminds me a lot of Captain Ahab’s hunt for Moby Dick. Meanwhile, Jacob, a very 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, the matter becomes more interesting, as the two challenge the stories written by the rulers.
The action sequences of The Monster of the Seas and the cinematography are spectacular… the fluidity of the fighting 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 animation history. The segment introduces Jacob’s courage and prowess, marking 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 secondary characters aboard the Inevitable show poorly detailed figures; their faces and animations remind me of those in 3D video games of many years ago. Such a pity. The monsters themselves, including The Red Fury and Maisie’s lively pet Blue, are poorly detailed in design. It is as if the budget has been used entirely for the scenography and not for accurately drawing the characters. Williams probably found himself in crisis without the infrastructure of Walt Disney Animation.
The most beautiful story arc of The Monster of the Seas is undoubtedly that of little Maisie, who is willing to question what she thought was true, even if 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 leave you to my final comment which you can read below.
The review
The Monster of the Seas
PRO
Cinematography and Spectacular Action
Lots of instructive messages
Nice soundtrack
VERSUS
Some characters are not graphically detailed
We would love to give thanks to the writer of this write-up for this awesome web content
