Scarygirl (film)
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Language | English |
Scarygirl is a 2023 Australian 3D animated fantasy adventure film directed by Ricard Cussó. It stars, as voice actors, Anna Torv, Tim Minchin, Deborah Mailman and Sam Neill in the main roles.
The film is the adaptation of the 2012 game of the same name.
Premise[edit]
Arkie lives with her father Blister, a giant octopus, on the Peninsula. They help plants recover from the loss of electricity that affects them. Meanwhile in the City of Light, Dr. Maybee is precisely using this electricity for his experiments: he also needs octopi to help him recreate his lost daughter. Chihoohoo and his team, as well as Bunniguru and his Egg, go to Peninsula in search of a giant octopus for which they were promised a reward.
Chihoohoo's team capture Blister for Dr. Maybe as Bunniguru and Egg encounter Arkie. Finding Blister gone, Arkie, Bunniguru and Egg go to the City of Light, where Arkie learns that 12 years ago, Dr Maybee's human daughter - Arkie Maybee - was killed at sea and Dr Maybee blames Blister, whom he experimented on to create present day Arkie.
Chihoohoo's boss, The Keeper, reveals to Arkie her harbouring of several small octopi, whom Dr. Maybee experimented on prior, telling how Dr. Maybee is now delusional and seeking eugenically perfect appearance at the dying sun's cost.
Arkie confronts Dr. Maybee as The Keeper turns him over to the octopi. Using the sun crystal and Dr. Maybe's energy beams, Arkie restores the sun whilst Dr. Maybe is rendered partially octopian as penance for his ruthlessness.
Voice cast[edit]
- Jillian Nguyen as Arkie
- Rob Collins as Blister
- Remy Hii as Bunniguru
- Tim Minchin as Chihoohoo
- Deborah Mailman as Treedweller
- Liv Hewson as Bug-Eye
- Mark Coles Smith as River Bandit & Swamp Dog
- Dylan Alcott as Rebel King
- Anna Torv as The Keeper
- Sam Neill as Dr Maybee
Reception[edit]
The Guardian gave the film 2 stars out of 5[1] as did The Sydney Morning Herald, stating, that "the finished product seems to have come out back to front, too convoluted for under-5s and too tame for anyone else. The celebrity voice actors convey goodwill rather than conviction, as if reading aloud on Play School: Sam Neill as ruthless scientist Dr Maybee is appropriately sonorous, but not really much of a threat."[2] A review at The Conversation praised visual aspects of the film and its message: "Filled with fantastical world-building, character and creature design, the Scarygirl universe mimics our concern for the natural world and the need for human-nature connection."[3] The film received various awards.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Scarygirl review – Tim Minchin, Deborah Mailman and Sam Neill add star power to tedious animatio". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Jake (October 27, 2023). "Steampunk animation with Sam Neill shows under-5s are a tough audience". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Chand, Ari (October 24, 2023). "Scarygirl: the richly built world of this new Aussie film tells a story of human-nature connection". The Conversation. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ "Scarygirl (2023) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
