SWAPPED
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Cedric The Entertainer, Justina Machado, Nate Torrence, Camden Brooks, Táta Vega, Ambika Mod, Lolly Adefope, John Ratzenberger, and Tracy Morgan
Director: Nathan Greno
AMARÚ
It took some getting used to voice-actor Michael B. Jordan, but like Swapped overall, his emotional resonance grew on me. The film clearly took its narrative beats from other animated classics (Finding Nemo, The Lion King, How to Train Your Dragon), but it also smartly leans on its creative world. By using unique creature designs to push the story forward, it makes the heavily kid-friendly tone more interesting than it had any right to be. I can’t promise that all adults will enjoy this, but I’m pretty confident that parents won’t mind watching while their kids experience the beautiful messaging on the power of community and differences.
ROBERT
Mid-tier animation is so unworthy of critical consideration, and that goes double if it is a streaming film. For the first half of Swapped, I didn’t think you could get any blander: the animation, the story, the characters…it didn’t make any impact on me. Then there is a turn, and while it doesn’t redeem everything before it, it generates more intrigue and more heartfelt emotion as a piece of art, which is admirable. There’s a little The Fox and the Hound with A Bug’s Life and Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest mixed in, so you will recognize its beats anchored by moderate vocal performances.
