The State of the Animation Genre

The State of the Animation Genre

 

 

I recently went to see Blue Sky's Epic at the cinema, and left feeling like I had seen it all before. This has plagued a lot of the recent animation films that I have seen, and I think its time for something new to emerge from the genre.

 

We all remember the peak of 2D animation, arguably during the Disney animation cycle in the 1990's, where each and every film managed to capture our hearts and immerse us within their narratives. Films like Pocahontas, The Lion King and Mulan all attempted display a sense of maturity and emotional depth within the 2D frames, something which I find has recently gone missing. The second animation boom happened at the peak of the Pixar/Dreamworks cycle during the mid naughties. Films like Finding Nemo, Toy Story and Monsters Inc showed us how technology could immerse us in fictional worlds populated with interesting characters. These initial 3D animation films have now set the standard for today's releases, with each one attempting to be the new Shrek or Toy Story.

 

Unfortunately, lately I find that animation films are created to take advantage of the children's market, and rather than provide a film that is deep and meaningful, while still being kid-friendly, the genre has nosedived, taking a leaf out of the action film's book. No longer are animation films based on real world issues or events like the Disney films of the 1990's, they are now based upon whatever niche the filmmakers can come up with. Take the upcoming Planes, the film takes advantage of the Pixar film Cars by creating a set of characters set in the same universe. Planes is actually a Disney production rather than a Pixar one, shoehorning off the back of Pixar's reputation for excellent animation for profits. Monsters University proves that even the best have run out of ideas, with Pixar now relying on sequels over original IP's, translating to middling reviews and claims that Pixar have lost their touch.

 

Last year's Brave was a step in the right direction, with Pixar appearing to have listened to the critics by creating a new IP. One film out of many just isn't enough to save the genre however, films like Epic, Despicable Me 2, The Croods and Turbo are turning the once great animation genre into a commodified cliche, which panders to profits over the public. Even re-releases like My Neighbour Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies prove that animation can be more than children's entertainment, and can push the boundaries of film to new levels. Perhaps we are simply in a state of animation bust, with another boom on the horizon, or perhaps the genre has run out of steam permanently, I sincerely hope that isn't the case.