A desire for political correctness permeates and mars this animated adventure, helmed by Don Hall and co-directed by Qui Nguyen, who also penned the heavy-handed script. Twenty-five years after discovering an energy-emitting plant that revolutionized his society, a prosperous farmer (voice of Jake Gyllenhaal) embarks on a quest to find the source of a blight that threatens to kill off the vital crop. His journey deep underground becomes a family affair when his adventurous teen son (voice of Jaboukie Young-White) stows away to accompany him, his loving wife (voice of Gabrielle Union) arrives in pursuit of the lad, and he’s reunited with his long-lost explorer father (voice of Dennis Quaid). The basic theme of clan unity triumphing over intergenerational tensions gets tangled up with misguided contemporary values, most glaringly in the subplot that sees the youngest of the main characters falling for a male friend (voice of Jonathan Melo), while the screenplay’s message about ecological responsibility is rammed home with awkward insistence. Inappropriate for the kids who might find its busy visuals diverting, the film will likely leave their elders indifferent to its aesthetics and annoyed by its agenda. Look for: A positive depiction of marriage and parenting. Look out for: A benignly viewed underage same-sex relationship, characters in peril. The Catholic Moviegoer’s guidance is M – suitable for mature viewers. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Strange World
