Netflix once again bets on animation in “The Sea Beast”, a film from the creators of “Moana” and “Big Hero Six” that imagines a marine adventure in which a captain bent on fighting monsters discovers another way of seeing the world thanks to an unexpected, and small, companion.
After hits like “Klaus” (nominated for an Oscar) and “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (winner of the Annie for best film), the “streaming” giant has signed one of the veterans of the Disney studios, Chris Wallace, to conquer family audiences again with the premiere, this weekend, of his new animated film.
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Wallace, Oscar winner for “Big Hero Six”, explains to Efe that he decided to write this film to recover “the adventure and action stories” that he enjoyed as a child.
“The Sea Beast” imagines a world threatened by unknown creatures where sailors who sail the oceans to fight them are treated like heroes.
There, a young Maisie grows up listening to stories of travel and conquest until, against everyone’s opinion, she decides to embark on an adventure with Jacob, one of the most admired sailors and about whom many stories have been written.
The curious thing is that when both find themselves alone in the face of danger, it will be her, with her innocent way of approaching nature, who will end up teaching Jacob more lessons.
“I like that people who have already seen the film draw different conclusions, I shot it for that,” says the filmmaker.
Some see an allegory about climate change, in which the younger ones try to correct the problems caused by the adults; others a story of generational change or a moral focused on changing course when things go wrong.
“For me the central idea was the cycles of violence that people create and end up perpetuating until something unexpected breaks them,” Wallace confesses.
The filmmaker assures that the cornerstone of the film is the character of Maisie, an orphan girl but passionate about life whom everyone sees as an obstacle at first.
“There are three generations of hunters and she is the most adaptable, the most agile. Her attitude becomes her power, ”details the filmmaker.
Beyond the story, “The Sea Beast” also demonstrates how far the animation industry has come in recreating impossible settings and worlds.
Gone are the early days of computer animation, which debuted in the 90s thanks to Pixar, in which it was practically impossible to draw the movements of the sea or organic textures.
“The Sea Beast” is a visual feast of diverse landscapes, nature, creatures and characters on which “hundreds of professionals have worked for more than three and a half years,” Wallace boasts.
“It is an overwhelming investment of time, energy and human resources. But we wanted to make a film in the style of the great classics, a great adventure story. And Netflix gave us the opportunity, ”she concludes.
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