I just watched Orion and the Dark: A Review
By Segun Ade-Martins
Preview
In Orion and the Dark, we meet a boy, Orion, who is the most anxious, self-conscious 11-year-old you’ll ever see. He keeps a journal of the fears that occupy his mind.
Orion is mostly afraid of the dark, including murderous gutter clowns, falling off a cliff, bees, dogs, talking to his crush, cell phone waves, and more. If it exists, Orion will find a way to be scared of it.
In this 3D animation based on the book by Emma Yarlett, the director, Sean Charmatz, takes us on a meta journey that folds into itself.
This film is loaded with beautiful 2D animation techniques that are a “lost” art.
As Orion has to deal with his greatest fear this fateful night, we see a warm and friendly manifestation of the dark called Dark.
Dark laments about Orion’s fear of him ranking above all other kids’ fears. Dark wants to help Orion overcome his fear of the dark by taking him on a nighttime adventure.
I have to mention the versatility of animation in the context of playing with meta-concepts. And who better than Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter to utilise the storytelling versatility of this form factor?
What didn’t work
I would say that there are only two minor letdowns in this animation. As I mentioned earlier, it tends to fold in on itself, and this is in terms of the story frames.
There are three narrators; no wait! Four narrators. I’m guessing this is an insertion by Charlie Kaufman (he is a meta-king).
The narrators are the omniscient narrator voiced by Werner Herzog, a young Orion voiced by Jacob Tremblay, and an adult Orion voiced by Colin Hanks. And the fourth narrator will be revealed when you watch the film (teehee). Okay, maybe this is a major downside.
The second letdown is the pace of the film. It felt a bit too quick, which leads me to believe that the material was a bit too thin. The plot seems improvised, and it puts a small dent in the film.
What worked
Everything from the animation to the voice acting to the imaginative elements and more makes this a good film.
I liked the personification of the fear-causing elements that feature during the night, called the Night Entities. It is reminiscent of how Pixar’s Inside Out categorises and personifies emotions.
The night entities are Sweet dreams, Sleep, Unexplained noises, Quiet, Insomnia, and, of course, Dark, who enables their work.
The ensemble of these characters adds great dimension to the story as Orion interacts with them. Angela Bassett, Paul Walter Hauser, and others voice these personifications beautifully.
This film contains many valuable lessons for young boys. For example, confronting fears despite still having fear is epitomised by this line: “being scared is a part of life.”
Orion and the Dark discusses the theme of doing your job and answering your calling. During the nighttime adventure, Dark and the Night entities try to explain the importance of their role to Orion.
At another time, adult Orion determines the talent of his daughter because it could turn into a profession.
The activities of poetry, journaling, and imagination through storytelling are put on a pedestal for young children to aspire to. The idea of this gives a warming feeling.
The story’s use of multiple frames has both advantages and disadvantages. The story weaves into various realms of subtext.
Having four narrators amplifies the power of the imagination to plunge us into black holes of emptiness and simultaneously pull us out as well.
Essentially, the plot, characters, and animation direction work tremendously well in harmony.
Conclusion
I love this movie; I think it’s worth a watch, and I rate it 7.5 out of 10. Orion’s character doesn’t feel like a normal eleven-year-old boy’s character; it feels like an adult who is navigating their way through the pitfalls of adulthood.
It’s like the creative team wrapped their fears and insecurities in a child’s context. As such, this film really speaks to me; it speaks to my inner child and inspires me to pursue dormant dreams.
In this story told across generations that weaves in and out of itself, there is an allegory for maturity.
Don’t watch it because…
This movie can be too self-referential and has a tonne of meta and subtextual elements. For the average viewer, if you don’t appreciate or notice any of these things, you won’t enjoy the film and will think it’s a waste of time.
The story’s throughline is nice enough, but the magic is in these details.
Watch it because…
You do enjoy the sensibilities of Charlie Kaufman, which include the salient use of storytelling techniques such as Deus Ex Machina, “easter eggs,” allegory, and other intertextual references.
Originally published at http://thestrangejournal.wordpress.com on February 15, 2024.
