(If you like what you see, you can go to camseyeview.biz to see more of my work on video game reviews, editorials, lists, Kickstarters, developer interviews, and review/talk about animated films. If you would like, consider contributing to my Patreon at patreon.com/camseyeview. It would help support my work, and keep the website up. Thanks for checking out my work, and I hope you like this review!)
2022 was a magical year for stop-motion, due to how diverse and unique the stop-motion experiences were. We got some stellar work that we will probably not see again until the industry gets its nonsense together and starts greenlighting more stop-motion features. Not every one of them needs to be on the grand scale of some of the films like Mad God or PInocchio. Not every production process is going to fit every project. That doesn’t mean these creative teams don’t want to make compelling stories, good writing, memorable characters, and so on. It’s just the fact that one production pipeline worked for one team and/or studio and won’t work for the other. All that people want is good storytelling and experiences. That means we should support and root for better working conditions and what would lead to the healthiest production pipeline for everyone involved. That way, we can get stuff like the crowd-funded hit, The Inventor.
Directed and written by Jim Capobianco, we follow the famed artist and inventor Leonardo Da Vinci, voiced by Stephen Fry. After being sick and tired of the Pope, voiced by Matt Barry, and his antics of him wanting to make war machines for him and not any of his other inventions and art that could help the people, Da Vinci decides to embark to France at the request of Francis I and hopefully continue his journey through the world of art and science.
This film is coming out during a time period where it feels like there is a struggle between the artists and creatives having to deal with their benefactor or, in this case, the people high up in the studio. You can feel the frustration of an artist dealing with a society that does not get or understand what they are doing throughout this film, with DaVinci getting his more artistic and philosophical endeavors blocked by whoever was offering him residency. Whether it was the Pope or the King of France, they wanted Leonardo to cater to their needs, while his true passions were kicked to the sidelines. You can definitely see the underlying theme of artist vs. benefactor. Sometimes, that relationship can result in something fantastic, but many times, it’s trying to meet down the middle. Still, this film also tackles themes of anti-war, due to how it keeps the detail of how most, if not all, of DaVinci’s “war” weapons were basically useless. It portrays any person in power either as a bitter individual or an angry temper tantrum-throwing child. Our main character just wants to explore the world of art, and how his inventions could help mankind. He also does a lot of introspective soul-searching. He seeks to see how the human body both literally and figuratively works, as he tries to find the answers to his questions about life, all this while avoiding a shadowy entity that threatens his progress. There are antagonistic forces, but what is interesting is how they approach both people in power. The Pope, and the film taking jabs at religious zealots in general, is hot-headed and can’t be reasoned with. The King of France? He has good intentions but he also wants to show how big and threatening he can be. He loses track of what drives him, and it takes until the end of the movie to show him. Not that this is one of those “morally gray, but no one is truly evil” -like movies, but it is nice to see a film take a stance for what it supports and what it is against. I don’t agree that the film is struggling to pick an audience that it wants to see. It has enough silly moments to keep kids entertained, but it offers a more substantial story for adults to follow about what it is that makes art and human existence worthwhile. It’s not Waking Life or Ghost in the Shell where the entire appeal is watching characters wax poetically about life and what that entails. The only real part of the more family-friendly aspects of the film that don’t quite work are the musical numbers. The overall score by Alex Marcel is great, but like Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, you won’t find yourself singing or humming the tunes to the musical moments anytime soon. They almost feel out of place, due to how the film isn’t really a musical. Still, this film has a bit of everything for all ages.
The stop-motion animation has a real old-school charm to its visual look. It might not go the distance of something like Wendell & Wild or Pinocchio, but the fun part about having so many recent stop-motion features and specials is how they are all different. The more simple designs led to charming designs and were really able to capture that feeling and spirit of Rankin Bass. It has a few different art styles like the default stop-motion look, a cute isometric look, and on occasion when DaVinci is exploring the human body and mind, some amazing 2D animation that was helmed by folks like Tomm Moore and HeFang Wei. Whatever it lacks in scope, it absolutely makes up for in personality and appeal. It’s also a lovely movie to look at with its bright visual palette, and when it hits those 2D moments, desaturated browns match the famous artist’s sketches. The cast is another highlight. Stephen Fry as DaVinci brings a cozy warm hug to the role as the famed artist. Matt Berry as the Pope is delightful and hammy, and Daisy Ridley brings another tough gal alive. The rest of the cast includes the always-fun-to-see Marion Cotillard, Natalie Palamides, Gauthier Battoue, John Gilkey, Angelino Sandri, Daniel Swan, Max Baumgarten, Ben Stranahan, Jane Osborn, and even the director/writer himself Jim Capobioanco shows up. It helps to have a vibrant cast due to how this film is one of the funniest films of the year with its sharp dialogue.
The Inventor feels like a long-lost spiritual follow-up to the Rankin-Bass stop-motion animated films that have been a part of many childhood VHS collections. It’s geared more towards families, but the story of pursuing the mysteries of the universe, the world in which we live, and the human soul and what makes it tick is a message everyone can get behind. It’s a super charming film that can be enjoyed by audiences big and small who have a love of creativity and a mind that’s full of wonder and excitement of discovery. Definitely give it a watch when you can, and give your support to a truly fantastic gem of animation in 2023.
Rating: Go See It!
The Other Side of Animation 