Turning Red Review: It’s that Time of the Month!

March 13, 2022September 17, 2022 Zach Kraus 1 Comment Ava Morse, Hyein Park, James Hong, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Tristan Allerick Chen, Turning Red, Wai Ching Ho

Alright, so Pixar made a movie about puberty and periods represented by the transformation into a giant red panda. That’s cute I guess. And based on the critical reception I’ve seen, it seems like this could be a hit film, right? Wrong! Directed by Domee Shi, the voice cast features Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse and others in primary roles.

Turning Red is an animated film about a 13 year old girl going through bountiful changes, but constantly being dragged back by her over-protective mother. She later discovers that she has inherited the ability to transform into a red panda if she gets excited. Very easily can this be attributed to the transition between child and adult, both physically and behaviorally.

However, the way this is conveyed just kind of falls flat. I could never by into the exaggeration of some of these character portrayals, mostly seen in the extent they take the mother to. Yet, even the protagonist, played by Rosalie Chiang, is dialed up to 11 in just how annoying she is. As a result, I question how some of these creative decisions really contribute to what the film is trying to say, and even if the writers fully understand the nuances of the subject matter they are exploring.

Which leads to my main gripe with Turning Red: it is a sensory overload of unfocused loudness. The moments where the film takes more careful approaches towards supporting its main theme is where it really hits the target. Those moments are unfortunately backlogged as the film scatters about, overindulging in very obnoxious sequences and montages. I also found the ending to be pretty unsatisfying (and even weirdly parallel to the end of Akira at one point). It lacked the necessary build-up, along with a bunch of key plot devices cited very heavily throughout the film.

The animation quality can be seen as an additional saving grace, as a bunch of these moments are beautifully conveyed in a physical sense. Let’s ignore the Pixar staple implanted on Turning Red, and consider the quality of this film based on its own merits. It ultimately seems like a superficial exploration of this subject matter drowned out by a scathing excess of loud noise and a tremendous lack of focus. Watch ‘Turning Red’ on Disney+ Hotstar here.