The film looks great, and it's hard to tell it's CGI with some of the scenes. The animals are convincing (mostly). My only concern is that although there's no death, it's quite harrowing at times, and probably not suitable for small children. An excellent animation though, makes a nice change from all the mainstream disney/pixar repetition.
Wonderful, moving and completely involving, FLOW is destined to be one of the best cinema releases of 2025. I was hooked from the first secong of this gorgeous film aobut a lone balck cat at the end of the world when the oceans rise. 10 out of 10 out of 10....!
I suggest those who claim it's not suitable for small children maybe watch BAMBI, DUMBO or WATSREHIP DOWN, or 101 DALMATIANS - all very dark with death. KIDS CAN COPE WITH IT and should as it part of life. This hysterical overprotection of children is stunting their growth. Maybe take their mobile phones away and instead play them this film.
What irked me here is there is no real story. The plot is very weak after the initial inciting incident and first act. All very stylised.
it's all in a way I dislike BUT the worst thing for me is that sometimes animals behave authentically like animals and sometimes they behave like people, able to do people things. That inconsistency grates. Choose one or the other, not both!
As for the animals - lemurs live only on Madagascar; capybara in South America only; secretary bird in Africa only. Cats and dogs universal or maybe represent Asia and Europe in some metaphor/allegory. If so, it did not work for me. WHERE IS IT SET? Again, wooly. Temples look East Asian/Thai/Cambodian, so even more wooly.
This sort of thing is on-trend with wooly Buddhist soundbites, in the boy/mole/fix/horse Oscar winner short. Seems to work as this won best animated feature Oscar too. The environmental flood theme re climate change seems to have nabbed that.
The animation is impressive with cat moves and sounds authentic. So it's maybe best to let it wash over you...
Watch the short films on the extras - this film is a big budget feature remake of the 2010/12 short AQUA. A Latvian film copying Japanese style.
3 stars