Firebreather

Not being one to turn away from animated movies, I sat down to watch "Firebreather" with no particular expectations, as I had no idea what the story was or who did the voice acting.

My initial impression of the movie is that the graphics were fairly "sterile", in lack of better words. The animators had skipped on minute details, and there was a sense of work in progress to the background most of the time. Now, that being said, I am not saying that the movie wasn't nicely made, because the graphics did look cool, I just personally could have used more details in the backgrounds and scenery.

The story is about Duncan, who stands out in a crown because of his orange-tinted skin and scale-like texture on his skin, trying to fit into the new school and community where he just moved with his mother. Upon being bullied at school, Duncan discovers that he is able to breath forth fire, and that sets things into escalation, and Duncan finds out the truth about who his father really is.

There is a lot of action in "Firebreather", but the story is also nice in the aspect of having to find your place even when standing out in a crowd, plus there was also a side story of love and friendship. However, the main storyline, or at least what they put the most effort into, was the situation between humans and the Kaju. The subplots were skimmed only, not really given the proper attention to flesh them out in a satisfying manner.

Personally, I wasn't overly impressed with "Firebreather", as there are far better animated and far better story-driven animations available. But I am sure that "Firebreather" will appeal greatly to boys in the age 6 to 12.

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.

You can tell this movie, most likely, got its expected budget cut several times. For a movie, the animation is sub par. The voice actors were amazing, the only highlight of this film. Story was amazing but dialog was weak. It developed normal enough I think the story board was probably rushed. All in all I just would not bother. Had way to many political garbage for an animated movie. I am an ARIES. It is very hard to make a movie about fire, or fire related things that I would not be into. Who you think you iz, freedom toons? Just skip to the next one on the list. This one is just not worth the time!

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.

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.