With a mix of naughty but nice that is just right, Dreamworks successfully brings Australian author Aaron Blabey’s New York Times #1 bestselling graphic novel to the big screen. It’s a treat for all ages and makes the underlying worthwhile message go down easy.
Voicing the main character of Wolf is Sam Rockwell. He does his best poor man’s George Clooney (there is even a reference to the Clooney factor in the script) and his smooth delivery fits the role perfectly. Wolf is the leader of a band of criminals featuring a snake, shark, piranha, and tarantula.
These members of the animal kingdom are considered bad or threatening and this plays into their sense of self. The movie’s not-so-subtle idea to not always judge a book by its cover is delivered in a less preachy and more entertaining way by virtue of their nefarious and cheeky ways.
It’s a fresh take on life in the animated animal world and never uses the cute factor to make up for a lack of character development. There are also some inventive and visually arresting action sequences. You can easily surmise the end results but that never takes away from the fun of the journey.
Rob Hudson
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