Universal Pictures presents Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken in UK cinemas from June 30, 2023.
Synopsis
Sweet, awkward 16-year-old Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise) is desperate to fit in at Oceanside High, but she mostly just feels invisible.
She’s math-tutoring her skater-boy crush (Jaboukie Young-White, Ralph Breaks the Internet), who only seems to admire her for her fractals, and she’s prevented from hanging out with the cool kids at the beach because her over-protective supermom (Oscar® nominee Toni Collette, Knives Out), has forbade Ruby from ever getting in the water.
But when she breaks her mom’s #1 rule, Ruby will discover that she is a direct descendant of the warrior Kraken queens and is destined to inherit the throne from her commanding grandmother (Academy Award® winner Jane Fonda), the Warrior Queen of the Seven Seas.
Review
Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken is the latest animated movie from Dreamworks Animation Studios. At its heart is a movie about identity and family – specifically living up to the expectations of family. Ruby is a teenage Kraken living as a teenage human with her family, who are also posing as humans, in the town of Oceanside. The town, school and movie are filled with interesting characters including Ruby’s teenage friend group, and the wizened, slightly crazy sailor and Kraken hunter Gordon Lighthouse. The diverse and fleshed out characters are one of the movies strengths, which drive the plot and adds stakes to the peril.
Much like Disney Pixar’s Turning Red, Ruby Gillman has to deal with her body changing into the giant form of a Kraken. It is a pretty in your face metaphor, but one that I think teenage girls will relate to. The overall message is that while these changes are scary, they aren’t bad and are things that all females go through. It is revealed that Ruby’s mother won the Kraken vs Mermaid War as great warrior Kraken, and in the end Ruby’s friends and the town, including grumpy Gordon, all come to accept and love her.
The film is very funny, full of one liners and great visual gags. The dynamic between Ruby’s little brother Sam and uncle leads to some great funny moments, while Gordon and his pet crab also bring the laughs. There’s humour for the kids and for the adults which makes this an enjoyable watch for all.
The voice acting is great, especially Annie Murphy as the mermaid Chelsea who goes from popular high school teen to vengeful and angry giant mermaid in a flash! The rest of the cast are great too, bringing life and personality to the characters they are portraying. When the legendary Jane Fonda’s Grandmamah was talking, the whole cinema listened.
Verdict
Overall, Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken is a solid family movie for everyone to enjoy. At 90 minutes its perfect for little ones – my 4-year-old sat through it all! It is a story full of heart delving into themes of family, friends, loneliness and teenage angst, while not getting too bogged down in the heavy stuff.
I took my 4 year old son to the screening and he approved of the film, saying “I loved the movie, my favourite part was the evil mermaid” so there you have it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
