I was impressed by Orion and the Dark, the latest animated DreamWorks movie to hit Netflix. For those that know me, know I am a sucker for animation. I love the way a movie that can hit so well with a kid can also resonate as powerfully, if not more so, at times, with adults. Netflix has been doing incredibly well with this, making some fantastic and memorable animated films that I loved. So, when I got a chance to review Orion and the Dark, it goes without saying I was excited.
Orion and the Dark is the latest offering from the unconventional mind of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Known for his surreal, meta tales like Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kaufman puts an imaginative spin on the children’s book by Emma Yarlett to craft a whimsical and clever animated film. Directed by newcomer Sean Charmatz, Orion and the Dark embraces complex themes not often found in family films, resulting in a wonderfully weird movie that should delight kids and adults alike.
The film follows Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay and Colin Hanks), an anxious fifth grader with an extensive list of fears, from bees to the ocean to his own shadow. His worst fear of all is the dark itself, so when a grumpy anthropomorphic representation of darkness named, well, Dark (Paul Walter Hauser) pays Orion a visit one night, the pair quickly find themselves on a unique adventure. What follows is a surreal coming-of-age tale as Orion journeys across dreamlike landscapes, meeting personified Night Entities like Dreams (Angela Bassett), Insomnia (Nat Faxon), Sleep (Natasia Demetriou), Unexplained Noises (Golda Rosheuvel) and Quiet (Aparna Nancherla) while coming to terms with his fears.
As expected from the writer of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Orion and the Dark doesn’t shy away from the messy complexities of life. The animated film explores heavy themes like bullying, death, and loneliness with nuance through the lens of a child. Orion grapples with understanding concepts beyond his years, and the story doesn’t provide easy answers. Yet, even though the film dives into some dark territory, it manages to find a good balance with plenty of whimsy and fun humour.
“As expected from the writer of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Orion and the Dark doesn’t shy away from the messy complexities of life.”
Much of this comes courtesy of Paul Walter Hauser’s scene-stealing vocal performance as the deceptively charming Dark. Orion is slow to trust Dark, feeling he is not as friendly as he seems, but Hauser infuses the shadowy figure with such infectious charisma that you can’t help but like him anyway. The rest of the voice cast shines throughout, especially young Jacob Tremblay, who movingly captures Orion’s anxieties. Visually, the animation pops with colour and imagination, immersing the viewer in Orion’s fears and dreams.
If I had one major criticism of Orion and the Dark, it would be the pacing. A few scenes drag on too long or seem unnecessary to the central narrative. But these unnecessarily slow moments don’t detract too much from the overall experience. At its best, Orion and the Dark balances weighty themes with whimsical humour to create a unique animated story. It treats children with respect instead of talking down to them, creating the kind of movie that adults and children can enjoy together. Despite the way it tackles mature concepts, it is a movie that most kids should love, with just enough maturity that parents should find plenty to enjoy as well.
Orion and the Dark may not reach the creative heights of Charlie Kaufman’s most acclaimed work, but his idiosyncratic fingerprints can be seen all over this film. It feels akin to Pixar outings like Inside Out or Soul in its ability to craft meaningful stories from abstract concepts. Thanks to Kaufman’s ambitious script and some stellar voice work, Orion and the Dark is a small animated joy that should not be missed.
