The “Creature Feature” is an old-timey newsreel look at some of the creatures that audiences encountered in the movie. “Anatomy of a Scene” breaks down one of the more intense scenes in the film, while “Strange Science” explores some real-life grounded science behind one of the film’s biggest twists. None of which really amount to much more than a few quick laughs, a look at the voice recording process, and which scenes didn’t make it into the final cut.īut the real heart of the making of “Strange World” lies within its four featurettes. Now, the film comes with obligatory bloopers and deleted scenes.

Seeing an openly gay character Ethan be accepted by his family in a film like this is rare to see, but it is also an important mage to display, especially during these times. So it’s great to see how “Strange World” could subvert some of those pulp comic and classic adventure tropes with a modern-day touch. The film normalizes mixed-race families and, in a studio first, has a bi-racial LGBTQ+ lead character.

The fantastical environments and steampunk aesthetics are grounded by modern-day cultural norms. Though the lack of cohesion is worrisome, the emotional stakes resonate are there as you want to see a father and son resolve their differences or embrace the idea of a child charting their own path. Still, it’s in direct conflict with the story about the legacy fathers want to leave to their children. There are high stakes, and the surrounding environments are stunning to look at. Though “Strange World” does a fairly impressive job of its world-building, there isn’t nearly enough of a solid story to sustain audiences’ interest in the characters’ journey. On their journey, the family makes new friends, encounters all kinds of danger, and makes a few discoveries along the way. However, when the president of Avalonia, Callisto Mal (Lucy Liu), informs them that Pando is losing its power, the Clades venture into the unknown to find out what’s killing it. With the help of his aviator wife Meridan (Gabrielle Union) and their son Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White), they farm Pando. They use it as an energy source for heat, fuel, and power. However, Jaeger insists on continuing the expedition and leaves his team behind to find out what’s out there.Ģ5 years later, Searcher’s discovery has helped the people of Avalonia thrive. As a result, he believes that their mission should end and that they should return home. And Searcher believes he found the latter in a plant called Pando. These expeditions serve a dual purpose as it helps find what lies beyond the treacherous mountains and find something that could help the people of Avalonia prosper. At the same time, a curious and meek Searcher takes a more cautious approach to his exploration. The film’s cold opening newsreel informs audiences of their adventures across the unchartered Avalonia, showing clips of a brave and muscular Jaeger showing no fear. Inspired by the pulp comics and classic rough and gruff action-adventure films of the past, “Strange World” follows the father and son explorers Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) and Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal).

Just be sure to come back here after to take a look at our review of the bonus features. So if you want to go into the film with fresh eyes, then this is your chance to back out and watch it. There will be some slight spoilers ahead as the featurettes mentioned talk about some of the film’s biggest twists and surprises. That being said, its story about fathers and sons and the legacy they want to leave behind resonates with those who share similar experiences and understand the complexities of family dynamics. But the fantasy adventure epic didn’t quite live up to the audience’s expectations because it relied too much on familiar structures. It had a bold story, great characters, and fantastic visuals. “Strange World” had all the essential elements that make an outstanding Walt Disney Animation Studios feature.

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