Dreamworks is the type of studio that you never know what to expect. In 2023, we had Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and Trolls: Band Together and well… it was definitely a very weak year for the studio, specially when 2022 brought us some massive hits like Puss In Boots: The Last Wish and The Bad Guys. But I must confess that Dreamworks is fully back because Orion And The Dark is officially the first big animated hit of 2024.
Orion might seem like your typical shy, elementary school kid with a secret crush. But beneath that normal facade, he’s a bundle of nerves, plagued by irrational fears of everything from bees and dogs to cell phone waves and even falling off a cliff. His greatest fear, though, is the dark, something he faces every night. When Dark, the physical manifestation of his worst fear, shows up, Orion is taken on a whirlwind journey around the globe to show him there’s nothing to fear when night falls. As they become unlikely friends, Orion is faced with a choice: to let go of his fears, stop letting them rule his life, and start enjoying life to the fullest.
When this movie started, I was enjoying the concept and its creativity within the first five minutes. I was expecting a simple, generic, and uninspired animation, but I was surprised by something much deeper than I anticipated. Orion is such a cute character; seeing his interactions with Dark was one of my favorite things about this movie. I identify with him so much as a kid. I wasn’t really the kind of kid full of fears, but I definitely had my personal fears. If the nine-year-old me had watched this movie, I know he would have been inspired by it. It’s a movie about facing your fears and how to live with them, knowing that they won’t just disappear and that you’re the one who has to do something to change your feelings about certain things.
I simply love the night entities. There’s a moment where we watch all of them doing their work: Sweet Dreams, Sleep, Unexplained Noises, Quiet, and Insomnia. Each of these characters has a unique personality and development throughout the movie. This movie is so important, especially for kids. It will help them overcome their fears and face them in a totally different way, knowing that there is no such thing as the “evil dark” and that the dark is just a random guy trying to do his job without making people hate him.
The animation is gorgeous. I remember watching the trailer for this movie and not being hyped about the visuals at all, but after watching the movie, I must say that it was a total delight to watch. The score is also another unexpected highlight. This is truly a dream of a movie, from the visuals to the story. But above all the positive things, the movie had great pacing, which surprised me, especially considering its short runtime. It was a very simple yet cute movie, really worth watching.
Orion And The Dark is the first animated hit of 2024. A cute, inspiring, well-written, and gorgeous tale about facing your fears. A movie with a deep lesson for both young and older audiences. This is the perfect movie for a family night.
Orion And The Dark releases on Netflix on February 2.
