Idainaru, Shurarabon
2014 / 114m - Japan
Comedy, Fantasy
3.0*/5.0*
The Great Shu Ra Ra Boom poster

Watches

December 03, 2020

3.0*/5.0*

A weird mix of fantasy and comedy that finds its roots in anime/manga culture, but doesn't seem based on any prior material. Maybe that's why it never really finds its footing. There's definitely potential here for something fun and outrageous, but it never feels like this universe was fully realized.

When Ryosuke is moving back to live with his family, he finds himself in the middle of a strange feud between the Hinode and Natsume dynasties. Both possess special powers that regular people can't pick on. Even so, the families will have to unite when they're facing an even bigger threat.

For a film that's all about special powers, over-the-top characters and lifelong feuds, it feels somewhat understated. Performances are nice, the effects are decent (enough) and it does get pretty crazy in parts, but overall the energy is lacking. The comedy aspect also never really hits the mark, except maybe for the post-credits joke. Not bad, but not as weird or insane as I'd hoped.