April und die außergewöhnliche Welt

2016 has really proved to be a great year for film. April and the Extraordinary World may not be on the level of some truly fantastic animated films (Kubo and the Two Strings, Tower, The Red Turtle, Zootopia) but it's still a very good film in its own right. The great thing about it is that it is not held back by having to only appeal to children and by not having to show anything that may be even remotely inappropriate for kids. It's a very classic action-adventure story, one where you could also see working in live action (although not exactly because many of the characters would not translate to live action as well). It is very well paced, very funny at times, and also genuinely heartfelt. That ending was also really effective, with the last scene really hitting on some great themes that the film had only previously alluded to. Definitely recommended.

"Avril and the extraordinary world" was presented before the official release at the Anim'est international animation festival in Bucharest. I went to see it after a brief look at parts of the official trailer, without knowing anything about the cast, cartoonist, director and the plot in general. I have to say that it was a magnificent movie, reminding me of some classic Disney style hand crafted animation that I used to love when I was a child. It is beautifully drawn and looks without any flaws. The story takes place in an alternative universe, where some modern inventions where never discovered or made available for the advancement of our societies. This makes you question how would the world look like if we have never used electricity or petrol in our daily lives. And the movie answers a lot of these questions. The plot keeps you for most of the movie engaged and in some small parts at the edge of your seat. The comic release character, a talking cat with the name of Darwin was instantly liked by all people present at the screening, adults and children together. His comments of various situations in the movie proved to be very effective, bringing smiles and laughter all around.

Set in a rich, pseudo steam-punk alternate-history - established by a clunky, if well thought-out, set-up sequence - and brought to life with fluid, weighty, almost 'Tin Tin'-esque faux cel-shaded animation, this detailed French sci-fi/ fantasy stands out thanks to its fantastic, forward-moving action-sequences and uniquely designed world, both of which constantly feed into the rather fresh-feeling narrative to create a cohesive and generally compelling experience. 'April And The Extraordinary World (2015)' very much feels like a comic-book brought to life, which is good - beyond the inherently aesthetically pleasing value this implies - because it's actually an adaptation of a graphic novel (which I haven't read). The characterisations are relatively complete throughout, which creates a sense of clarity and allows each core player to stand as their own person. This focus on character means that the overall narrative always feels driven by those featuring in it; you always care about them and believe their motivations. The plot evolves at an organic pace, with its mysteries unravelling logically and satisfyingly throughout the tight run-time. It also has an excellent handle on its tone, with tangible stakes being balanced with several sight gags that provide a good chuckle or two. Overall, it's an entertaining experience that genuinely feels like a classic adventure story. 7/10.

This animation tells the story of a post Napoleon would, where all scientists are captured, and the world becomes very different due to a lack of technology. The last surviving free scientists strive hard to create the serum that can make life perpetual, but mysterious forces are after them.

The colour scheme of the animation is dark and dull. The characters are not cute either, and therefore it's hard for me to develop a liking for it. Though the story is quite engaging, I still don't find myself developing a connection with April and her experiences. The normally careful April all of a sudden trusts a stranger appearing from nowhere doesn't make sense, which annoys me quite a bit. Overall, the story is strong but has a loophole or two. I would have liked it better if the colour scheme was brighter.

I recently reviewed a Japanese film and was left a bit indifferent by the film. It's a shame, as I really love animated pictures. Thank goodness I found "April and the Extraordinary World"...an animated movie that was delightful and really, really unusual. It isn't so unusual because it's in a steampunk world...a few other films have explored this same sort of material. However, the film offers far more in this odd alternate universe...and it makes the film worth seeing. Fortunately, it just debuted on DVD and is available through Netflix.

When the film begins, you learn that this alternate tale of planet Earth diverged for our reality in the 19th century. Apparently Napoleon III was a bit of a nut and was intent on using his top scientist to create super-soldiers which the French could use against the Prussians. However, the experiments were failures and soon the French and Prussians made peace. His successor, Napoleon IV, was also a bit of a nut...and tried as well to use the top scientific minds to make super-weapons...but, oddly, soon all the scientists began disappearing...and so the world never experienced the gains of the 19th and 20th century. Electricity never really came into widespread use and instead the world was a dirty, deforested strange steam-driven place...and the French were part of an empire dedicated to war with the United States...a war for resources as the Europeans had completely exhausted their natural reserves.

Time passes and soon the story soon involves a family torn apart in the 1930s. Napoleon V's agents have been searching for the scientists and a few of them are in hiding in Paris. Soon young April and her scientist parents and grandfather are all separated and the young girl is raised in an orphanage. A decade passes. April lives in a secret hiding place with her talking cat...yes, I said talking cat. Anyway, government agents are looking for April...and assume they can use her to find her family and the other scientists. Here's where it gets weird...yes, weirder than the talking cat! It seems that most of the scientists, including April's parents, are working with aliens...yes, aliens! What are they working on and how does April figure into all this? And, how does the cat become a hero? See this clever mind-bending film and find out for yourself.

This project has an unusual pedigree. It originally was a graphic novel...which isn't unusual. But it was made and financed by French, Belgians and Canadians! The overall product is a very nice bit of escapism. I liked the story very much as well as the characters. My only complaint, and it's so small that I barely want to mention it, is that the characters themselves weren't drawn to the highest standard. The background and much of the animation was lovely...but April and the rest don't exactly look like Disney or Studio Ghibli quality. I found I was able to look past this.

So who would enjoy the film? Well, most anyone except younger kids. It is not cute or child-oriented in any way and younger kids would probably be confused and bored. The youngest I'd show it to are kids about 10. Try it if you love anime, try it if you love more traditional animation, try it if you like sci-fi or try it if you just want to see something different. I'm glad I did.