Last March, Disney released their latest animated romp entitled Turning Red which is streaming on Disney+.
It revolves around a young girl named Meilin who has proven herself to be an overachiever and constantly tries to earn her mother’s praise and approval. However, things take a turn when she turns into a giant red panda which was caused by a hereditary condition from many generations ago.
On paper, the film looks like it has the makings of a great Pixar film but it just seems to fall flat when compared to others like Toy Story or Finding Nemo and here is why.
Turning Red lacks a proper villain and the stakes are low
One thing that people will notice after watching the film is that it seems to lack a true villain with intention to hurt and/or harm the protagonist. The closest thing we got to that was Mae’s mom, Ming, turning into a bigger red panda monster that looks like something out of a Godzilla movie.
Even then, we as audience members know that Mae’s mom isn’t going to try and harm or kill her and it’s not like the two are ardent, mortal enemies to each other either. Their dynamic is that of squabble between mother and daughter which makes the potential of a threat incredibly small.
In addition to its lack of a villain, the film’s stakes are terrifically low when you break it down to its simplest forms. The main objective that Mae and her friends have in the film is to see a concert where the boy band ‘4-Town’ is playing. Mae attempts to transform into her Red Panda form to get money for the concert without her parents’ knowledge.
Realizing that that’s what the characters are trying to achieve, it has a deflated sense of importance in the realm of the film and often comes across as childish.
It seems Pixar is running out of steam with films like Turning Red
The fact that this film could have been a lot better coupled with its low-stakes plot and lack of a villain puts this film as one of Pixar’s subpar outings.
Disney and Pixar have been known for cranking out hit after hit, with the exception of Cars 2. With that being said, it is very disappointing to see a film like this with so much potential flounder.
It seems that Pixar is losing ideas and is living in the past of its former glory. Hopefully, the company can work on better ideas.
One thing that has stood out is how unmemorable the Turning Red characters are, especially when compared to other earlier Disney/Pixar films. The main characters tend to blend into other character archetypes that have already been seen before in cinema.
When you compare Mae to Woody from Toy Story or Mr. Incredible from The Incredibles, she pales in comparison to the characters and fails to be compelling. Maybe Pixar can create some more consequential sequences and memorable characters in future films.
Why Turning Red is not a great Pixar movie
Source: Pinoy White Knights
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