This might have been one of the most surprising Oscar nominations of the 2023 Oscars. But I can’t say I was mad about it, as The Sea Beast is a beautifully animated, well-told film with a great message. That almost makes up for the fact that the story is predictable, and the film may or may not be a “rip-off” of How to Train Your Dragon (2010). But unlike How to Train Your Dragon, this movie takes the concept of “legends/history being told by winners” even further.
First of all, I really enjoyed the animation style. It was vibrant and colourful, and it didn’t seem too “generic”. Everything from the humans to the sea creatures, water, and different settings throughout the film, there was always something interesting to look at, and it never felt like I would mix it up with a different animated movie. And that’s a plus in my book. Now, is this animation so unique? No, but it doesn’t have that stereotypical Pixar or DreamWorks look we are used to by now, hence it is more pleasing to watch and remember.
Where The Sea Beast really shines; is the overall message rather than the story. As I have alluded to above, the story is a bit generic; it is just a means to get to the message, which is pretty complex. Not only do we have the already mentioned How to Train Your Dragon influence (a mythical creature is known to be evil, only for our heroine to learn they are not evil), but this film took it one step further. The thing about re-writing history is not only to scare people but also to profit off them and make yourself into the ruler… Especially in today’s age when we question everything, and we learn every day that this historical figure or fact is not exactly what we have been told all our lives, that is hard to wrap your head around sometimes.
Another thing about this message is also; how heroes could be the “bad guys”. Or how some people can be celebrated in their time, only for future generations to discover that they were not as heroic as they seemed. The Sea Beast talks about many complex themes, and as somebody who enjoys history and open discussion about what is right, wrong and in between, I liked this aspect. And it almost makes me forgive this film for being so predictable.
By far, that was my biggest complaint about this film. If the themes were clever, the story felt like a template for most adventure films. It was almost like the people behind this film started with those themes first and then designed this average, middle-of-the-road story around it just to get them to the scenes they needed to get to. I can forgive it, as the animation was stunning, and the overall theme/message of this film was done well; it just felt incomplete. I will give you an example – imagine you going to this fancy restaurant. The starter arrives, and you love it. Shortly after, the main comes, and that meal is one of the best meals you have ever had. And then, you simply want to finish on a good note; you are patiently awaiting the dessert, and it is… just ok. It doesn’t hinder those two meals you have just had, but it leaves you slightly disappointed, as it feels out of place.
Overall, The Sea Beast is a clever animated movie you will like whilst your kids might love it. Especially when Blue shows up, as that might be one of the cutest creatures in recent animated history. The movie has smart themes, but they are put across in an easy way, so everyone can still enjoy the film, and the runtime of almost two hours never bothered me. It was just a shame the story/plot was not as clever as the theme/message of this movie because you can predict everything that will happen. But I would still recommend this film; it is a pleasant stunning fun adventure for the entire family.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke