Strange World is Disney’s latest adventure into animation and the results are not as high as Encanto. It’s hard to compare the two movies since one was a musical and the other, this film, is not. Could Strange World be better if it was an animated musical like Encanto? Perhaps, but on the positive side, this movie is firing on all engines as far as the animation is concerned.
Animation and creativity were seemingly at the top of the pile when constructing Strange World. The plot may have taken a back seat to the design choices meaning that a lot of storylines were left on the table. Will these questions get answered in a sequel movie or TV series on Disney+?
There will be spoilers in this discussion roundup of the wildest examples.
6 Are There Other Titans?
The big twist in this movie, which most viewers probably saw coming, is that Avalonia is on the back of a giant turtle-like creature. The inspiration for this probably stems from popular Native American mythology such as the World Turtle. Video games have tried this approach as well such as the giant RPG series, Xenoblade Chronicles.
There are so many questions left unanswered about this beast and society. Are there other titans roaming around in the sea? Does Strange World take place in a post-apocalypse of Earth wherein most of the land has been destroyed? The movie's final shot pans out to show the Earth, or whatever planet this is, as one big ball of water with just the turtle floating around. Only a third of the globe is shown though, meaning that something could be hidden on the other side.
5 The Problem With Pando
A Sci-fi movie doesn’t haven’t to fully explain itself past its premise if it initially makes sense. Finding a plant that provides power is strange but not the weirdest idea in the world. At first, it seems like the roots drew power from a heart source wherein all roots led to one giant Pando organism.
However, Pando is a diseased based organism and is not part of the natural culture. It’s an invasive species similar to many horror plots involving plants. What Pando is, how it got into the beast, and how it emitted great power are all things Strange World doesn’t answer.
4 Who Developed The Tech?
The city of Avalonia erects a statue of Jaeger along with his son Searcher. Both of them are celebrated heroes who helped shape society in a grand way. There’s one problem with that which could change how viewers look at this movie. Jaeger should be applauded for his adventure skills for if it wasn’t for him, Searcher wouldn’t have found the Pando. He is a great explorer akin to the heroes in the adventure movie genre.
Searcher then deserves kudos for planting Pando and providing the city with power. What about the scientists that made inventions such as fridges or airships? Don’t they deserve a statue or two too? Who is the Henry Ford or Steve Jobs of the Strange World universe?
3 Flying Over The Mountain
The opening of this movie borrows from comics of a forgotten era and explains that the people of Avalonia loved to explore. They wanted to get past their mountains however they could, to see what was on the other side. After the initial setup, things fast-forward 25 years to show Searcher grown up and in charge of a farm.
Then, out of the blue, his father’s old explorer buddy Callisto appears and explains she needs Searcher’s help. At one point he asks if her airship can go over mountains to which she says no. That doesn’t make sense given that the airship descends deep into the planet. It then ascends, through this hole at the end of the movie. Isn’t this climb equivalent to scaling a mountain?
2 Earning Money In Avalonia
How does society in Avalonia work? Searcher is shown delivering Pando to everyone in town so that they can have power. Money never exchanges hands meaning that Pando may be a free resource. Viewers may then wonder if this society is a pure utopia wherein everyone pitches in, gets their fair share, and no money is around.
However, later in the movie, Callisto tells the pilot of her airship to earn his paycheck. That means that money does play a hand in society. Does Searcher get paid as well from the people and it’s just never shown? Alternatively, is it a tax situation wherein he provides Pando and the government foots the bill? It’s not an important part of the film’s plot as this is a kid’s movie but some viewers may be curious.
1 Missing Family Elements
For a movie so caught up in family, Strange World omits two big equations from the matter. One, the Clade’s dog Legend is missing a leg. While not fully important, it is curious why the creators chose to animate a dog with three legs rather than four. Thankfully, Legend is still a good boy despite his injury.
A part of the story could have been cut regarding him. Maybe there was more information on the mother as well, Jaeger’s wife who remarried after he disappeared. She, along with her new husband Sheldon, are shown at the end but they never speak. Leave it to Disney to get rid of the mother in their movies.