Firebreather

Firebreather is one of those childhood movies that I thought for sure wasn't gonna hold up - knowing what I know about films and storytelling, and how far the art can be taken. But I was very pleasantly surprised to give the movie two rewatches in a single week - after not watching it in about 12 or so years - and find myself enjoying and appreciating the movie more than I ever did. The movie isn't for everyone, and it's UNDENIABLY filled with the angst of teenage boys that want to be cool, but if you don't mind an action-adventure filled with kaiju then this could be your thing. There is genuinely a lot to love here.

First, the presentation. The art direction is really unique with some really cool, but eerie, kaiju designs and even Duncan himself has a really great look to him. The environments look great, from the high school to the canyons. The cinematography is also really stellar. It's slick, but keeps focus on the action in a really compelling and epic way. But then there's the animation in motion. The animation can be quite inconsistent. At times characters move really smoothly, in a believable fashion even. Then there's times when the animation is a bit janky and almost puppet-like. It can be a bit jarring.

Firebreather also has a pretty good soundtrack. A catchy theme song, that's pretty much the typical badass rock song you here in many action-fantasy animations, but with a bit more angst. The more low-key tracks, such as what we hear in the first seconds of the movie, the music we hear in the canyons and even calmer moments at the school have a mellow and almost dreamlike nature to them. The overall atmosphere of the movie is also pretty well done, as it fits with the slightly mature story. The movie juggles between light-hearted, high school teen drama and a more eerie kaiju fantasy. It's really compelling.

Finally, there's the story and writing. Firebreather has a pretty good narrative premise, but the execution leaves a little to be desired. I think the story and plot is decent. Duncan's character arc is good and he does come with a bit of nuance. What the story struggles with is the world around Duncan. There are certain things that aren't explained all too well and the worldbuilding feels a bit sloppy. But what REALLY impressed me about watching Firebreather, after so many years, is how great the writing is. The dialogue in this movie is honestly the best part of the whole thing. There's so many clever lines - backed up by great performances - and there's just a suave feeling to it. The writing is sharp, sometimes mature, and just really entertaining. Although one thing that plagues the story and writing on a slightly obnoxious level is the whole theme of 'father figures'. There are quite a few times when the conversation of growing up without father figures feels forced or heavy-handed. At times, it makes the overall theme of the story come off as kind of cringeworthy. And the story unfortunately suffers from that, too. But in more positive terms, there are also some REALLY great scenes and setpieces throughout the movie. These scenes showcase the strong animations and presentation, as well as the writing chops that the movie has going for it.

Firebreather is a good time if you're looking for an underrated gem of an action-adventure animation. It's got some great action, punchy writing, a good atmosphere, some mature themes, and a mostly great look. If you can get past some of the worldbuilding shortcomings and the teenage angst, Firebreather is a nice little treat and a forgotten Cartoon Network classic.

The movie is also based off a series of comics, if you're looking to dig deeper into the world of Firebreather. Although, said comics are a lot more gritty and unapologetic than the film, which is a bit more sanitized.

This has been on the back of my head for a long time now. I remember having seen a movie of a high-school guy with a cool blonde quiff who could spit fire. And there it is, a short movie about the clash between the humans and the legendary Kaijus in a futuristic setting, where the protagonist obviously suffers an internal conflict as he is half human and half "monster". Most of the story seems to be left unexplained, but it doesn't take away that this is top notch animation for the time it was made, the characters are memorable and, despite all the clichés, I know this is a lowkey classic. Potential contender for what could be a great animated series.

As I was feeling nostalgic about past entertainment, one film suddenly came to mind and it was called "Firebreather". It's an animated adaptation of a comic series that premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010 which combined superhero antics with giant monster fun. Plot: The war between humans and kaiju ended thanks to the union of kind-hearted Margaret and dragon-like king Belloc, resulting in not only a truce but a hybrid child named Duncan. Duncan tries his best to fit into his new school despite his unusual traits, becoming almost an outcast but managing to make some friends as well. His peaceful life, however, gets interrupted when his dad Belloc shows up wanting him to be the heir to the throne, which causes other kaiju to attack the kid for the right to succeed their king. With tensions between the two races already tense, Duncan struggles to retain his humanity while fighting off the giant-sized foes.

For a film made for TV, the animation is actually praiseworthy with nice fluid movements with maybe one or two slight errors. Character designs look basic from a distance, but a closer look reveals minute details such as Duncan's scales. The fire effects, an essential part of the character, are especially beautiful to look at. The hero's beast form is awesome and the kaiju sport unique designs that make them stand out from other film giants like Godzilla, not to mention the animation really emphasizes their massive size. The action scenes, supported by appropriate rock music in the background, are fantastic, taking advantage of the difference in scale between characters and are not afraid to get a little brutal once in a while (seriously, quite a few people die). The characters are good for the most part with distinct motivations+backstories and are played by great voice actors; Duncan is a good protagonist being a guy trying to figure out how he fits in the world (which I can relate), his mother Margaret is loving and doesn't take crap from anyone, and father Belloc is tough and strict but ultimately does care for his family. The rest of the cast are fine by comparison. Some characters do have dilemmas that make for some interesting and well-done drama. If I have one noteworthy criticism it's that there are a couple of subplots/details that don't really go anywhere and it does feature a few high school clichés (which take a minority of the film).

It would seem that this movie came out too early and faded into obscurity, otherwise with both superhero and kaiju films now in fashion, this movie would most likely get greater recognition and perhaps spawn a larger franchise. I think it would have made a great TV series, but perhaps a remake may reignite Firebreather's spark. Bottom line, this is an entertaining, underrated film and I feel that it deserves more praise.

Stumbled upon this flick by accident while reading reviews of other animations in a similar genre. I'll make this short and sweet. The pros of the movie is the CG graphics, the cons also include a super simplified and sometime barely evident history of each character and the under-developing of pretty much everything.

This is a good Saturday morning time killer or in general a snack for those who want some action vs. elongated dialogs between villains and heroes. Think of this analogy; Watching Firebreather is like playing Need For Speed Underground vs. Gran Turismo.

The common denominator I would say is the young superhero and the giant monsters. Fans of teen hero series such as Teen Titans, Young Justice and Batman beyond, as well as appreciators of the classics such as King Kong, Ultra Man, and (dare I say) the Power rangers may also enjoy this animation.

Nothing special but overall fun to watch.

Fire breather's story revolves around high school boy Duncan who's half kaiju and human. This is anhigh scool rom-com action where our main character is a badass! Just like animes. So like almost every fire breather fan, I watched this first time on cartoon network and I re watched it yesterday so I could write a fresh review. So this movie is just totally FIRE! I don't know how it's at 6.2 rating on imdb but imo, it's one of the best cartoon network originals. The soundrack is the heart of this movie but it's overused in the movie. Overrall, the movie's no groundbreaking thing but a absolute fun watch!