disclosure: I was sent a digital code of Disney’s Strange World in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.
Disney’s Strange World is Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 61st animated feature, and available to watch on Digital and stream on Disney+. We were finally able to sit down and watch this sci-fi flick. But was it as good as we were hoping? Is it truly a strange world? Is it safe for the whole family?
About the movie
Strange World introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob called Splat; Legend, the family dog; and a slew of ravenous creatures.
What I thought
Strange World is Disney’s animated version of Journey to the Center of the Earth. The storyline of Strange World was incredibly weak. At times, it was hard to focus on what actually was happening. If it weren’t for the visuals, I am not sure I would have finished watching this movie. It’s a story that has been told in many different versions.
So what kept us watching? The visuals in this movie are stunning, with the colors incredibly vivid. The cast of characters was a diverse bunch featuring very strong female leads. Strange World features a voice cast of Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, Dennis Quaid as Jaeger Clade, Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan Clade, Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, and Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal.
Is Strange World for the whole family?
I truly feel the days of “whole family” movies are slipping away. Strange World is rated PG for action, peril, and some thematic elements. Even though this is an animated feature, there are scenes that may not be appropriate for your smallest family members.
Animated scenes of the characters running away from creatures, attacking creatures, creatures popping up everywhere are heavily scattered throughout the film. There are a few mature elements that also may be hard for the younger audience. There are scenes that involve death, abandonment, and parental rebellion. There is also an openly gay character that does participate in open flirting at a teenage level.
The runtime for Strange World is 1 hour, 42 minutes, which could also be a tad too long for a very young child to sit through. The plot of the movie is based around the climate, which could also be a topic that would not hold the interest of a very young child. I would recommend this movie for children 8 & up.
Bonus Features*
Look for the following bonus features when Strange World is released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on February 14th
- Anatomy of a Scene: Creating A Strange World – Learn about Walt Disney Animation Studios’ creative process through a single, visually stunning scene as the filmmaking team puts all of their imagination – and more – on the screen.
- Strange Science – Jaboukie Young-White (voice of Ethan Clade) hosts an exploration of how Walt Disney Animation Studios artists were inspired by real science to create Strange World.
- Creature Feature – Journey into the world beneath Avalonia and meet some of the terrifying, slimy, gassy – and sometimes cute – creatures that inhabit this Strange World.
- The Hidden Secrets of Strange World – Uncover the references and characters from some of your favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios films hidden throughout the film, along with some fun facts and behind–the–scenes stories of how Strange World was made.
- Outtakes – Go behind the glass as we join the cast of Strange World inside the recording booth for some fun, flubs and outtakes.
- Deleted Scenes
- The Ballad of Jaeger Clade
- Lightning Lynx
- Funerals and Promises
- Ethan and Searcher
*Bonus features vary by product and retailer
A Disney blooded, crafty, fun-lovin’ wife/mom/organizer/planner, etc who is obsessed with all things Disney 🙂 Maria grew up with the Magic Kingdom and has loved watching WDW evolve into what it is today. A firm believer in the Power of Pixie Dust, she is the owner of The Disney Driven Life – A Community for Neurotic Disney People & a d.i.y. crafty blog, Carousel of Projects – create~inspire~share.
