'Arlo The Alligator Boy' Review
TV-Y7
Runtime: 1 Hr and 30 Minutes
Production Companies: Titmouse, Inc., Netflix Animation
Distributor: Netflix
Director: Ryan Crego
Writer: Ryan Crego, Clay Senechal
Voice Cast: Michael J. Woodard, Mary Lambert, Haley Tju, Jonathan Van Ness, Brett Gelman, Tony Hale, Flea, Annie Potts, Jennifer Coolidge, Vincent Rodriguez III
Release Date: March 16, 2021
Netflix
Upon learning that he is from New York City, a wide-eyed boy, who is half human and half alligator, decides to leave his sheltered life in the swamp and search for his long-lost father.
Over ten years ago, director/artist/writer/producer Ryan Crego sketched a little alligator boy for the first time. Much like any artist’s creation, Crego’s drawing evolved from a simple sketch into a full-length 90-minute animated musical for Netflix titled Arlo the Alligator Boy, a sweet, charming, and witty family film hoping to fill your heart with joy.
The strongest aspect outside of the animation is the charm and sweetness of the titular lead. Arlo is an upbeat, optimistic, glass-half-full half-human half-alligator boy who exudes positive energy and joy. If Paddington, Ted Lasso, and Arlo walked into the same place, they’d immediately become the best of friends. Michael J. Woodard brings this lovable character to life with his incredible voice performance, matched by eccentric line delivery and beautiful vocals. This is my introduction to Woodard and yeah, this is his star-turning performance because that boy got BARS!
It’s crazy how connoisseurs in animation often complain about the modernity of 2D animation where nearly everything has clean, thin vector outlined designs and is digitally done using various animation software. Arlo serves as proof that today’s animation is still outstandingly gorgeous. The bright, colorful world of Arlo is very stylized and breathes so much personality that visually matches the witty and silly tone of the film. The variety of character expressions and movements are so exciting to watch, especially when the credits roll and you see the linework animation on all of the characters in motion. All of this is completely hand-drawn and it’s absolutely stunning. The artists at Titmouse, one of the hardest working animation studios in the game today, make this 2D world pop, blending unique hand-drawn designs with watercolor-painted backgrounds and locations, which works to its benefit. The film plays with different art styles, especially during each musical set-piece, to give each sequence its own distinctive style and flair. The film is set in a world inhabited by humans, animals, and mutated “whatevers” (in the Gonzo sense), and you’re enamored by the weird designs of the central characters. I was thoroughly impressed by the little techniques implemented during sequences like the wrestling match where the camera mimics handheld, going out of focus and spinning around. I think the only time I've seen that technique done in a 2D animated project was in several episodes of The Amazing World of Gumball. Needless to say, as far as animation goes, Arlo is visually incredible as you feel the passion and soul poured into it by all the artists involved.
The narrative is a standard A-to-B road trip that mixes the likes of The Muppet Movie (talking creature from the swamp yearning for more, making oddball friends on the road as he tries to fulfill his destiny, while on the run from evil attraction owners who wants to lock him in a cage for profit), and — strangely enough — the 2003 Will Ferrell Christmas comedy Elf (wide-eyed optimistic orphan traveling to New York to find his long-lost dad and hopefully gain his love and acceptance). For the most part, it works due to Arlo’s charm and upbeat energy. This kid is full of life and love, yet he’s emotionally unfilled, unable to find his place in the world. Many viewers will resonate with Arlo’s emotional loss and need for acceptance. It’s a story that tackles the theme of identity, self-acceptance, and finding the place you belong and it delivers that with richness and charm. Arlo meets a kind-natured giant woman named Bertie (a wonderful Mary Lambert) and she becomes his first friend. She’s one of the standout side characters in the film who has a great arc that contrasts with Arlo; she’s scared to open up to others, for she’s always been perceived in a negative manner. She also has the best song in the film, “Follow Me Home”, and man, it's incredible. The film is funny with its well-written jokes that are inoffensive, mostly slapstick-based, and visual gags that often catch you off guard.
While this is a full-length movie, Arlo the Alligator Boy sets itself up for a series, I Heart Arlo, which is slated to come out later this year. The animation industry is no stranger to the “feature-length animated movie to TV series” pipeline. Most of the animated ‘90s Disney movies were followed by an animated series. Heck, I grew up with Jimmy Neutron, which started out as a movie and then became a series a few years after. Despite its 90-minute runtime, Arlo is paced at a breakneck speed and some of its emotional beats feel a bit too rushed. While it’s dazzling in every right, you can’t help but feel like it was restrained budget-wise. I can’t help but think about how there was an even longer screenplay for this movie but it was given a certain schedule so it could hit a certain deadline. Even the songs by Alex Geringas and Ryan Crego are too short. A ton of them lack either a bridge or a second verse. What I’m trying to say is… this should’ve been a longer movie so it could feel like a full-fledged project that stands on its own, not as a backdoor pilot for an inevitable series.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this movie and it sold me on the show because I adore Arlo and Bertie. But you also have so many side characters who instantly become Arlo’s newfound friends without forming a genuine connection. With the exception of Bertie, the side characters don’t get their chance to shine, and when they do it’s only in the joke department. You have a pink hairball with a mustache who walks in heels named Furlecia (Jonathan Van Ness), a fish head with hairy legs who hates kids named Marcellus (Brett Gelman), an Italian rat-like con-man named Teeny Tiny Tony (Tony Hale), and a tiger-like girl named Alia (Haley Tju). They hardly ever interact with each other outside of the occasional dialogue that can be surmised as, “We’ll help ya, kid!” or, “We’re in this together.” It hurts because the voice cast is really talented and I hope the show gives them more to do.
Arlo the Alligator Boy is a standout movie carried by animation, songs, and the titular lead’s upbeat energy. Though it’s clearly restrained in certain areas, it’s still a fleshed-out story about self-identity and acceptance. It’s a cute, delightful family film that will give you as much joy as the titular little gator boy exudes.
