"Robinson Crusoe" is a co-production between France and Belgium between experienced animation filmmakers Vincent Kesteloot and Ben Stassen and the outcome is this really new take on the character of Robinson Crusoe. Being from Germany, I watched the version with the German voice actors of course. This list includes quite a few famous names and Ilka Bessin (Cindy aus Marzahn) and Didi Hallervorden were immediately recognizable. Kaya Yanar voices a pirate and I did not realize it was him right away. Also took me a bit longer with Matthias Schweighöfer, but that's actually a positive note as I think he did a pretty decent job with Crusoe and I don't think much of him as an actor at all. But if you don't see him (playing the same character again and again) and only hear his voice, it is pretty solid I have to admit. I must say I have seen better work from the filmmakers in the past, for example Stassen, but this 90-minute movie here was nonetheless worth seeing. It's tough what the best thing about it really is, but I am tempted to go with Hallervorden if only his character did not have so few lines. Oh wait, like I write in the title, the best thing is easily the animation and it elevates the material a lot. The characters look really nice, which sparkled my interest on several occasions. The story sadly is not on par. The cat characters as main antagonists are as bland and uninteresting as the pirates near the beginning and end. Crusoe's final decision to stick with animals instead of humans may have been meaningful, but the execution did not really feel convincing and the dog's death 8as usual) really only felt as if it was in there to get Crusoe closer to the island animals and did not make half the emotional impact it should have. And the worst scene is possibly Crusoe shooting at the cats who are in a brawl with his beloved dog that he easily could have shot in that scene. No idea what they were thinking. Like I said, the story (including the last half hour and grand final scenes) was nothing too great or memorable at all, but the familiar voices and stunning animation make this one worth seeing nonetheless. I give it a thumbs-up.
Review of The Wild Life
