Captivating, kid-friendly fun.

When it comes to talking animals, no one has cornered the market quite like Disney. It’s kind of what they do. It’s pretty much why they are where they are.

Anthropomorphic animals go way back to Disney’s very inception, yet it wasn’t until the rise of their feature animations that things really started cooking for the studio. From as far back as Jiminy Cricket and Dumbo, Disney saw the storytelling (not to mention profit) potential in utilising animals with distinctly human characteristics - and they haven’t looked back since.

It’s fair to say, however, that the studio has had far more success with this via animation than through ‘live-action’. As one might expect, having animals verbally communicate in a realistic environment is a tricky task, and from risible efforts like Snow Dogs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Underdog, to the studio’s recent run of dubious ‘live-action’ remakes, something just hasn’t clicked.

Of course, this isn’t exclusively a Disney problem. Making realistic looking animals talk just feels weird when handled poorly, but it’s certainly grown to become a real Achilles heel for the studio. So, can The One and Only Ivan, a film built almost entirely around talking CGI animals, see Disney finally bag themselves an anthropomorphic hit?

Cooped up in an enclosure at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Arcade, and forced to perform for Mack (Brian Cranston), the owner of the mall’s resident circus, a silverback gorilla named Ivan (Sam Rockwell) dreams of a life free from captivity. With the help of a caring elephant, Stella (Angelina Jolie), Ivan gradually pieces together his mysterious past, as they hatch a cunning plan to escape from their shared captivity.

With connections to Dumbo clear for all to see, there’s little doubt that we’re well within the Disney safe zone here. With performing animals, their bond with humans, and overarching animal welfare themes, the film hits many recognisable beats familiar to those with even a passing knowledge of Disney’s history.

The film is well and truly in Disney’s wheelhouse and it’s a familiarity that both helps and hinders it. Coming from a studio well accustomed to tugging our heartstrings via the medium of animals, The One and Only Ivan feels tailormade to bother our tear ducts, and, to a certain extent, the film does a perfectly decent job of getting the emotions going.

Warm, fuzzy, and relatively lightweight, the film certainly isn’t going to win any awards for its biting commentary on animal cruelty, however, as a piece of light-hearted, child-friendly entertainment, it does a solid job of leaving us emotionally engaged and adequately entertained. Some may call it emotional manipulation, others simply the Disney formula, yet whichever way you look at it, there’s no doubting its effectiveness.

However, this over-familiarity leads to a tired and somewhat underwhelming air that, for all its well-orchestrated emotion, feels far too comfortable at times. Despite its best intentions, the film never quite stretches itself - even within the comfy realms of family entertainment - refusing to go beyond the surface with its subject and not allowing the plot to land in the way it promises.

When it hits the spot, The One and Only Ivan is as affective as any other Disney film, using the natural emotions of Ivan’s fraught relationship with Mack and his bond with the rest of the circus animals to help things along, however, this only carries the film so far. Muddled and lacking bite, the film’s plot doesn’t help matters, as it constantly tees itself up without ever really following through.

Never quite sure what it wants to do or what it wants to say, there are several moments when a plot curveball is thrown that, while helping avoid predictability, mainly work to confuse matters. The pertinent themes of animal captivity and the morality of the circus are inherently dark, complex ones that lend themselves to a more nuanced approach, yet The One and Only Ivan’s narrative tentativeness undermines this, dulling its emotional impact.

Of course, going deep for what is essentially a kid’s movie isn’t a necessity, however, The One and Only Ivan’s pure surface-level approach emotionally curtails what could’ve been a truly poignant entry into the Disney cannon. As it is, the film is a heart-warming yet timid attempt to tackle highly relevant themes.

Ultimately, the film’s heart is firmly in the right place and the story, while certainly simplistic, is a warm and accessible entry point for young ones to engage with animal welfare. Much like Free Willy did for 90s kids, The One and Only Ivan will hopefully open young eyes and minds to issues of captivity, leading them to explore them beyond the limited scope that this film offers.

Bolstered by a solid, enthusiastic, and amiable performance from Brian Cranston - whose ability to sell the story while working with an almost exclusively CGI ensemble is not to be sniffed at - and a cracking voice cast led by Sam Rockwell, The One and Only Ivan offers much to enjoy, even managing to avoid the usual pratfalls of your average talking animal flick.

Although some of it looks like hand-me-downs from Dumbo and The Lion King, the film’s CGI is remarkable, helping the film land the anthropomorphic angle far better than it has any right to. Cinema history is littered with godawful talking animal movies, including many within Disney’s own back catalogue, however, through impressive character design and an approach that allows the animals to emote in natural and engaging ways (looking your way Lion King), the film avoids what could’ve been a disaster.

Warm, light-hearted, and admirably earnest, The One and Only Ivan may come up short with the issues it raises, however, as an entry point for kids to engage with the notion of captivity and animal welfare, the film performs solidly. Helped along by an engaging Brian Cranston performance and an impressive array of CGI characters, the film manages to atone for its narrative shortcomings to offer up a decent slab of family entertainment that goes above and beyond the (admittedly low) expectations of the talking animal sub-genre. Like a big bucket of popcorn, The One and Only Ivan offers plenty of dependable delight, yet never quite offers significant sustenance.

The One and Only Ivan is available to stream on Disney+ now.