Recently, we had the fabulous The Wild Robot, which captured a world of beauty and innocence with an animation that was a treat for the eyes and all the senses. Now we have Flow, another animation from Latvia that would make for a perfect companion piece to the Dreamworks feature, for this simple yet incredibly effective tale manages to do something that most live-action films forget about: have characters you care so much about that your heart rate goes into overdrive. Flow is a fantastic film about a journey that shouldn’t happen.

A black cat lives a happy life surrounded by carved cats. Everything is lovely until there is a sudden tsunami that floods everywhere. Desperate to escape the rising water, the cat finds a boat and jumps aboard, with a capybara as the only passenger. As they float along, they pick up a possessive lemur, a labrador and a bird who can steer the vessel. This mix of animals must survive the waters that lead them to various adventures.

The remarkable thing about this feature is the animation. Without the expense of a big studio behind it, director Gints Zilbalodis, whose previous film was the equally beautiful looking Away, uses what can only be described as the animation skills of a Playstation 2, yet it works magnificently. The layers and depths of colour and the design of the backgrounds are captivating in the same way that the Wild Robot is. What is more important than anything is that he has taken great care in creating animals that not only move and react as they do, but he has also managed to produce personalities for each of them. An absolute triumph, considering that there is no dialogue, only the authentic sounds of the animals themselves.

The cat is the film’s star; with her bright yellow eyes, she is the character we follow on this dangerous journey into the unknown. She is also the character we care about the most. In one scene, she falls off the boat and watches as the craft heads off in the distance. You want her to return, but you worry it won’t happen. This is one of the most gripping scenes I have seen in the cinema in a long time; to produce such an emotion from an animation is incredible.

This crams so much to admire and amaze at a running time of just under 90 minutes. The journey from open waterways to historical buildings half-sunk by the rising waters gives this mismatch of creatures the opportunity to enjoy the various perils and adventures they face. It also has a serious message about climax change and what could happen without ever once being preachy about it. Considering the events happening worldwide, this is a timely reminder of where we could end up if we don’t do something about it now.

Everything about this feature is near perfect. Whether it be the animation or the incredible soundscape created, it delivers all you would need from a film that has a message but is also a fantastic journey. I never thought I would get so emotional over a cartoon cat. Stunning.

5 out of 5

Director: Gints Zilbalodis

Written by: Gints Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaza

Running Time: 84 mins

Cert: U

Release date: 21st March 2025