Wow. You put so much thought into this, I really wish I gave a damn about anything here. Steampunk. Alternate histories. Talking cat. Police state. Lizard people. Kidnapped science community. And desperately seeking a vial of the stuff that turned George Ninetyeightpoundweakling into Captain America.
Let’s start at Captain America, because all the rest is noise; no matter how animated this plot gets, it is really about seeking the magic formula to make humans immortal. In some alternate universe, the scientists have all disappeared (along with all the good animation, knowwhatI’msayin’). It’s the 1930s and the world sucks, but at least we’re not on the brink of a Nazi inspired World War. It has been sixty years since all the scientists left, so the world is in a holding pattern where steampunk is still the preferred method of innovation. All remaining scientists now are coveted to the point of arrest, so the Franklin family –mom, dad, and April- secretly work on the formula for ever-lasting life, cuz, you know, who doesn’t want to breathe coal forever? So far, all they’ve managed is to get the cat to talk.
What do you suppose your cat would say if it could talk? My main guesses would be: “You know, your life would be so much better if you just slept 22 hours a day, like me” and “I WANT _____________ (food, attention, lap, outside) NOW, ASSHOLE!” Apparently, Darwin (voice of Tony Hale) doesn’t say anything like that. Go figure.
Long story short, the fuzz catches the Franklins, but April escapes. And l’il orphan April (Angela Galuppo) grows up to be twice the scientist her parents ever were mostly by avoiding all human contact. Somehow that doesn’t stop drifter Julius (Tod Fennell) from tailing her and falling in love. Awwwww. I can only imagine how many might tail her if she’d been drawn by an artist from a decent animation studio. So there we are in 1941 France with twentysomething brilliant scientist April, her missing parents, her talking cat, her secret lab in the hollowed-out head of a giant Lady Liberty-like statue, her sleazy would-be boyfriend, and a ton of police out to nab anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the periodic table … And then it gets weird.
Need I point out here that it’s 1941 France and the Germans haven’t invaded? Is this the price of steampunk? A police state? Scientific stagnancy? Could do worse.
April and the Extraordinary World is the rare film that has so much and so little going for it at the same time. The film has invented this whole new reality that is both futuristic and horribly dated, with unique animation striking both realistic “beauty” and drab hideous, offering a heroine who is brilliant yet meh at the same time. Just wait until we get to the robotic alien overlord lizard people. Or don’t. I didn’t much care by the time we got there and odds are you won’t either unless you’re both prepubescent and tolerant of mediocre animation. That’s not a combo that will describe a whole lot of folks, and neither will the appeal for this film.
I don’t need the good stuff too soon
But I’ve been waiting until the full moon
When will April stun?
Before this is done?
I May have to wait until June
Rated PG, 105 Minutes
Director: Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci
Writer: Franck Ekinci & Benjamin Legrand
Genre: A long explanation
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: My 12-year-old niece
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Sane people
