The One and Only Ivan (2020)

The One and Only Ivan (2020)

6/10

Starring

Bryan Cranston

Ramón Rodríguez

Ariana Greenblatt

 

Voices

Sam Rockwell

Angelina Jolie

Danny DeVito

Helen Mirren

 

Directed by Thea Sharrock

The One and Only Ivan is a heartwarming story that tries and succeeds in not making the movie too complex for younger viewers. There’s no daring escape, no violence, just sad tales of animals wanting to be free. The movie has many dark themes, all kept under the guise of family fun for the young ones.

Watching it as an adult and keeping in mind the movie's target audience, I can say the writers did a good job of masking the darker tones of animal captivity, divorce, death, and loneliness. They hid these themes so gently and well enough that you don’t have to worry about your children seeing this and asking too many questions. Making a little girl, who has a small role in the movie, the seemingly unlikely animal whisperer and hero is also a good way to balance out the film's dark themes.

The movie is based on the award-winning children's book written in 2012 of the same name by K. A. Applegate. The book and movie share the theme of Ivan the silverback gorilla moving from captivity to a free-range zoo, but everything in between is fantasy.

The movie’s plot centers around Ivan, who is the headliner of a show at a mall. Ivan isn’t the only animal there who performs—there’s a rabbit, parrot, chicken, poodle, seal, and the wise old elephant named Stella. To attract more customers to the show, the owner of the circus act, Mack (Bryan Cranston), buys a baby elephant named Ruby. Ruby is cared for by Stella and becomes the new main attraction. Ivan isn’t forgotten, and the movie doesn’t delve into a jealousy plot between the two. Soon, situations in the circus get better, but the animals want more. Stella and Ivan want a better life for Ruby than the one they have in captivity.

In terms of acting, the movie has Bryan Cranston leading the live-action role, so there’s no shortcoming there. The actors, along with the puppetry and effects, were smooth, so for me, there’s no downside. The movie's negativity may come from the fact that there’s no action—just a nice tale—which many may not find interesting enough. For me, the movie is aimed at younger viewers, so that criticism didn’t matter much.

In the end, I felt pleased to have seen the movie. If you’re not down for a gentle tale for children, then this movie is not for you. Trust me. You can catch the movie on Disney+.