The yeti is a mythical creature that remains relatively under-explored in cinema. This animated family film from Warner Bros. seeks to remedy that, and it benefits from leaning into the studio's somewhat neglected animated legacy.
Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum) is a happy-go-lucky yeti living in a secluded village high on a snow-covered mountain. Migo's father Dorgle (Danny DeVito) performs the daily task of banging a ceremonial gong with his head, an act that supposedly causes the sun to rise each morning. It's Migo's destiny to eventually supplant Dorgle in this role, but that all comes into question one day when Migo encounters the mythical "Smallfoot" (i.e. a human), a creature that yeti lore dictates doesn't exist.
Banished for his outlandish claims, Migo teams up with a few other open-minded yetis to go about proving that Smallfoot really does exist. This results in him encountering Percy (James Corden), a David Attenborough wannabe who has resorted to staging fake animal encounters.
At a glance, the creatures in Smallfoot look like something Dr. Seuss might have drawn, but the principal influence comes from the beloved Warner Bros. animated shorts featuring the likes of Wile E. Coyote, Porky Pig and Bugs Bunny. This results in a slightly zanier enterprise than most modern animated features, complete with numerous instances of characters falling off cliffs.
The mild musical element is less jarring than it could've been, and is highlighted by an appealing duet between Tatum and co-star Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming).
Despite feeling pretty inconsequential throughout much of its running time, Smallfoot's hopeful finale is unexpectedly uplifting.
Cast:
Channing Tatum, Zendaya, Common
Director:
Karey Kirkpatrick, Jason Reisig
Running Time:
96 mins
Rating:
G
Verdict:
Entertaining but unremarkable.
