Movie Review: Flora and Ulysses

 

Note: This film is only available on Disney+

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A delightfully silly family comedy.

A movie about a girl adopting a superhero squirrel sounds incredibly silly and it is. Luckily this film knows how silly its premise is and just simply has as much fun with it as it can. This is a lighthearted family comedy that has no problem embracing its wacky side. This is what makes this movie work so well. When the film is at its silliest it is at its best. The comedy comes fast and furious and there is a great comedic energy that makes even the jokes that don't make you laugh kind of work. This is not to say that there are not any laugh out loud moments here because there are quite a few of them. I was honestly quite surprised at how many times I laughed at this movie. The biggest laughs actually don't come from the satire but brief little visual gags that are simply handled very well. The use of these silly little visual gags is sadly something that is becoming less prominent in movies these days and I happy to see them here (especially when they are given a great delivery). What also makes this film work is that underneath all the kidding of superhero movies, there is obviously a true fondness for the genre. This is a film that reminds us just why so many of us love superheroes while still having a little fun with the genre. Simple things like a typical superhero scene playing out at a donut shop with a squirrel who wants donuts are delightful, but also done with such respect that it will bring to mind many superhero moments we have loved over the years. This movie also has a good message about the importance of optimism and believing that there is magic in this world we don't see. 

What doesn't really work here is the family drama between the two parents. Sadly this part of the film simply feels cliché and not that interesting. The movie also seems to run out of a bit of its momentum by the climax.

This is simply a delightful movie and a joy to watch for anyone who enjoys silly comedies or superheroes.