Over the Moon (2020)

Director: Glen Keane, John Kahrs
Stars: Cathy Ang, Robert G. Chiu, Phillipa Soo
Runtime: 95 minutes

Synopsis: In this animated musical, a girl builds a rocket ship and blasts off, hoping to meet a mythical moon goddess.

Verdict: The latest Netflix animated feature was a disappointment. Directed by Glen Keane, a pioneer in Disney's animation studios, and starring an all Asian cast which includes names such as Sandra Oh, Ken Jeong, John Cho, or even Phillipa Soo, "Over the Moon" follows Fei Fei, a young teenager who, after being struck by a great tragedy, builds a rocket to get to the moon in the hope to meet Chang'e, a mythical goddess she believes will help her overcome her problems.

The biggest issue I had with the movie is its try-hard approach to follow the same formula that made so many Disney films successful during its renaissance era. There are no princesses per se, but you do get the traditional cute sidekick pet, comic relief, catchy songs, or recurrent bits that eventually contribute to the narrative. The problem, however, is that none of it felt organic, resulting in a messy narrative with no clear purpose or satisfying arcs. Even the animation was underwhelming and at times manipulative, throwing in as much bright colors as possible to give the illusion that the universe in which the story takes place is alive when in fact it was pretty trivial.

"Over the Moon" may work better with younger audiences, but I was unfortunately not impressed with what it had to offer. Aside from an introduction to Chinese mythology, it was a bland attempt at recreating a successful formula that now feels outdated and not entirely compatible with the Eastern setting of the film's universe. A definite misstep for Netflix's animation department.

FINAL GRADE: 4/10