Be forewarned: despite the studio’s previous films being mainly kid-centric affairs with an abundance of toilet humor and pop culture references, Illumination Entertainment's “Sing” is a far more detailed and intimate film, and one that truly is for all ages.
Focusing on Buster Moon, a koala played by Matthew Mcconaughey, the movie tells the story of how, after buying the local theater due to his love of the performing arts, Buster has run the building into the ground. But he has a plan! With an accidental grand prize of $100,000, Buster holds a singing competition as a last-ditch effort to save his beloved theatre.
The cast is immediately charming, with wonderful performances from McConaughey, John C. Reilly, Seth MacFarlane, Reese Witherspoon, Taron Egerton and more. The songs are wonderfully done and choreographed beautifully, spanning multiple genres and eras.
The true surprise of the film is its intimate details. The camera spends moments lingering on shots to help establish more emotion in our characters, and small details also help to flesh out these roles. A shy animal holds her hand up to her face to reveal that she has written out her speech on it. Moments like this make the world feel truly alive.
The animation is done very well with great detail put into buildings and the general atmosphere of the world. Some animals drive cars, for example, but the size of the steering wheel and the seats varies depending on the size of the animals.
The use of its setting to establish a love of the theater and performance in general is a highlight of the film, but there is a remarkable level of restraint and maturity to the events. Dramatic moments are allowed to play out, focusing on characters and never funneling in a joke for no reason. At times, it even feels like the movie didn't need to be animated. But because it is, it allows for a wider audience and greater creative details.
If Illumination continues on this pace, we could see them rise to the heights of Dreamworks oreven Pixar. The level of emotion and care put into making this world and set of characters feel real does wonders for making the film that much more enjoyable.
“Sing” is not only a new high bar for Illumination, but it represents a new depth and maturity that Universal’s animation division has not been explored since Curious George. Gorgeous animation and choreography coupled with deep and resonating tone means that "Sing," as an animated film, truly soars. 5/5
Photo Courtesy of Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures.