Flow: A Wild, Gorgeous Ride That Swept Me Away

Rating: 10/10 ⭐️ 🐈‍⬛

Flow is an absolute stunner of a movie, and I’m still reeling from it. This dialogue-free animated whirlwind throws a cat, capybara, lemur, bird, and dog together to outrun a flood that’s not messing around - it’s fast and swallows everything in sight. From the jaw-dropping art to the heart-tugging animal companions, it’s a beautiful, surreal experience that had me hooked, even if a few weird bits left me scratching my head.

The visuals? Oh, they’re next-level gorgeous. The art style is like a dream - surreal vistas of crumbling buildings, endless waters, and distant peaks that feel both ancient and alive. The animals’ expressions say everything without a single word. Fear, wonder, trust—it’s all there in their eyes, carrying the story effortlessly. The flood’s insane pace is matched by the animation, a visual knockout that begs for a giant screen.

The story’s simple but gripping: these unlikely pals snag a boat, with the bird navigating toward scattered mountains. A massive whale pops up a few times to help them out, which is just awesome. The way these animals vibe with each other is so endearing - their smarts, their empathy, the little looks they share. The pace is relentless, just like that flood. Once it starts, there’s no safety even on higher ground - it’s all getting swept away, so they’ve got to move fast. It’s thrilling, edge-of-your-seat stuff.

Now, let’s talk about the surreal vibe, because Flow leans hard into it. The world feels like it’s from some lost time - no humans, just empty buildings and this monster flood. Is this the Great Flood? A future apocalypse? I was hooked trying to figure it out. But some stuff puzzled me. Like, where did the bird fly off to once they hit the mountain? Why’d the forest just sprout out of nowhere? A slower fade of the flood would’ve felt more natural. And the whale - my heart broke seeing it beached. I wanted it safe in the sea, not stranded. These quirky, surreal moments give the movie a wild, dreamlike edge that I kinda loved, even if they left me with questions.

Those quirks didn’t ruin it for me, though - they made Flow feel alive, like a story that’s half memory, half myth. The whale’s fate hit hard, but it got me thinking about sacrifice. The sudden forest was weird, but it had this hopeful, almost magical spark. It’s not perfect, but man, it’s beautiful. The visuals, the companions, the breakneck pace - it all comes together in an unforgettable rush. I’m already itching to jump back in and get swept away again.