While there have always been countless different types of animation, it can often seem like there are only two major types. You have animated films from major studios like Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks, with this year’s slate includingDespicable Me 4, Inside Out 2, Moana 2, etc. They often have the same style as other films within the studio, and tell stories that can be fairly similar to the ones we’ve heard before — especially when it comes to sequels. Then there are the independent animation studios, companies like Laika, Cartoon Saloon, and the legendary Studio Ghibli, who tend to be a bit more creative and ambitious, receiving critical acclaim, but rarely reaching the monetary heights of the larger studios.

Flow, from director Gints Zilbalodis, feels like an attempt to tear down the wall between these two distinctions. Flow has a story that seems perfect for a Disney film (think Homeward Bound mixed with The Wild Robot and a lighter version of the PlayStation 3 game Tokyo Jungle), yet its unique animation style and dialogue-free story make it seem more fitting for independent animation projects. Flow takes a fascinating and effective approach to animated stories and shows that the barrier between the two types should be broken down more often.

What Is ‘Flow’ About?

Flow is told entirely from the perspective of a black cat, who tends to live in a house that has long been abandoned by humans and stands under a giant statue of a cat. While no humans are seen in the world of Flow, their presence can be felt throughout, leaving us to wonder why this world is now apparently under the rule of animals. While going through the forest one day, the cat meets a pack of dogs trying to catch fish in a nearby river. After a chase, the cat returns to the safety of its home but discovers that one of the dogs, a friendly Labrador Retriever, has followed the cat home. Suddenly, the water level starts to rise, leaving the Labrador to join his fellow dogs in a passing boat, while the cat keeps climbing and climbing to safety until there’s nowhere left to go. Thankfully, another boat, this one holding a capybara, floats by, and the cat hops in the boat for this adventure.

As this world continues to flood, these animals take solace in their boats, which seem to be the only dry place for them to go. As the black cat goes on this journey, it reunites with the Labrador and its friends, and in addition to the capybara, the cat meets other animals like an intimidating secretarybird, and a lemur, who loves to look over his collection of junk he’s collected. With the water level rising, these animals rely on each other to survive another day and find somewhere safe to live.

‘Flow’ Expertly Tells Its Story Without Dialogue

However, Zilbalodis, who wrote the script with Matīss Kaža, decides to tell this story entirely without dialogue. That may seem obvious, considering there are no humans and only various animals leading the way of this tale, yet most animated films would give their characters a voice simply for narrative purposes. Flow never takes that easy way out. It’s that realism that makes the film so stunning, as we’re told this entire story through the way these animals interact with each other, their attitude at any given moment, and their motivations as they try and survive on this boat.

Helping in this dialogue-free story is how natural these animals all feel. Each of them acts exactly how you’d expect them to, especially as we watch the black cat trying to keep to itself at times, or the Labrador’s excitement over everything from eating fish to seeing a boat full of his dog friends. Even more impressive is the dynamics that are created between these animals the further they go on their journey. You’re not likely to see what would happen if a cat, a capybara, and a ring-tailed lemur were all trapped in a boat together in real life, surrounded by miles of nothing but water. Flow presents how these characters work together in such a naturalistic and believable way that it feels as if the animation must’ve been created with the help of motion capture (even though it didn’t).

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Still, Flow has elements that do hold it back from being the perfect blend of the two types of animation. Most notable is the animation itself, which, while unique in its own way, does feel restrained by its clear limitations.Flow often looks like a cutscene from a PlayStation 2 game, and for the most part, that’s completely fine. But it is a shame that these characters look as realistic in their movements as they do, while also being animated with a style that immediately looks false. There’s still plenty of beauty to be found here, especially when we watch the black cat exploring by itself and discovering the wonder of this world outside of its safe home, but its animation style does hold the film back somewhat.

And while, yes, this is a film about a bunch of animals knowing how to steer boats in a world that floods all of a sudden for no apparent reason, some of the more fantastical elements here don’t quite have the impact they deserve. Once the animals reach their destination, Flow has a moment that’s supposed to be viewed as a transcendent, cosmic experience, but instead, it begs more questions than it answers. In the everyday of this story, there’s a sense of beauty in the world we often ignore, and going all-in with that in these fantastic moments doesn’t work as well as just experiencing this world they find themselves in. Also, with the lack of dialogue, certain scenes drag a bit too long or feel aimless in this larger journey. Again, they aren’t damning elements, but they do feel noticeable in the moment.

But Flow is still very much a marvel of experimentation, a showcase for what indie animation can do, but with a scope that transcends what we think of when it comes to indie animation. Its dialogue-free approach to this story might lose some momentum at times, but it’s remarkable to watch just how much Zilbalodis’ film can say without saying anything at all. Even without words, we can understand fully what these animals are thinking, feeling, and worrying about. In a world that can often feel flooded with animated films that are far too similar to each other, Flow floats atop them all as an example of what great animation can truly do.

Flow tells a grand animated story without dialogue that feels like a step forward for indie animation’s possibilities.ProsFlow’s ability to tell an epic story without dialogue is truly impressive.The way these animals are animated feels shockingly realistic.It’s incredible to see this type of large-scale story told at this level of indie animation. ConsThe look of the animation, however, sometimes undercuts the more realistic animation of these characters.Flow’s more fantastical elements don’t always work.

Release Date August 30, 2024 Director Gints Zilbalodis Runtime 84 minutes