Rating: ★★½☆☆ (2.5/5 Stars)
Released 08-29-2024
Watched 02-01-2025
Reviewed 02-01-2025
Rented from Apple+
"Meow"
Flow is a visually captivating animated film that managed to spark my curiosity despite its unconventional storytelling. Awarded two Oscar nominations, the film boldly goes where few animated features dare: it tells its story without dialogue and largely forgoes a traditional plot. In doing so, Flow challenges its audience to find meaning in its imagery and ambient storytelling, making it an intriguing, if somewhat polarizing, viewing experience.
One of the film’s most notable strengths is its visual presentation. The animation is striking and artistically conceived, offering a mesmerizing array of colors and movements that keep the eyes engaged throughout its runtime. The imagery often feels like a moving painting, filled with artistic flourishes that are both inventive and aesthetically pleasing. However, while the visuals are undeniably engaging, the rendering sometimes falls short of the high technical standards one might expect from a modern animated feature. At times, the textures and details seem a bit rough around the edges, which may distract viewers who are more accustomed to the flawless finish seen in other contemporary works.
The lack of dialogue and a coherent plot might be seen as a refreshing break from the norm, yet it also poses challenges for audience engagement. For some, the abstract narrative and reliance on visual storytelling could be seen as a creative experiment that leaves much to personal interpretation. For others, particularly younger viewers who rely on more straightforward storytelling, the absence of clear dialogue and a cohesive storyline might lead to confusion or disengagement. In our household, my seventeen-year-old found Flow to be a fascinating and immersive experience, even appreciating its abstract nature to a degree that might even earn it a higher score in her eyes than mine.
Comparatively, while Flow is visually impressive, it does not quite measure up to the narrative charm or technical excellence of films like The Wild Robot or Inside Out 2. These films manage to blend engaging stories with high-quality animation in a way that Flow doesn’t fully achieve. Overall, Flow earns a respectable three stars. It is a film that dares to be different, offering a unique cinematic experience that might appeal more to mature or art-focused viewers rather than young children seeking a traditional narrative. It’s a beautiful experiment in visual storytelling—a film best appreciated for its artistic ambition rather than its narrative depth.
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