Welcome Ruby Gillman to the lineage of mutant, hybrid creatures, joining “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” (Michael Landon), “Teenagers From Outer Space” (where the actors look like a bunch of 30 year olds). “Teen Wolf” (Michael J. Fox) “X-Men” (Marvel/Stan Lee) and the most famous of them all “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (cartoon turtles and a rat). How could you not love them. Living in the sewers of New York (have you seen rent there lately?), outcasts from society (if you’re considered “different” or “not one of us” in some people’s perspective you’re screwed) and Zen Master Splinter is the original “Pizza Rat”. Ruby Gillman (voiced by Lana Condor) is a teenage kraken.
Teen Angst, Mutant Style
Ruby, 16, attends the seaside Oceanside High School an average teen filled with angst trying to fit in unknowing that hidden inside of her is the fact she is a mutant. Half human half kraken. Anxiety increases when Ruby dives into the ocean to save her high school crush from drowning and she begins to mutate and learning the secret her parents held back telling her. Feeling betrayed by her parents she lunges into the depths of the ocean to seek the truth for herself and finds more dark secrets are hiding there. Even mermaids she encounters have their secrets too.
Movie Time
“Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” (2023) is Dream Works animated production that lives up to their standard of delivering solid animation, effects and voice acting. It does kind of fall into the “cookie cutter” script formula their known for, the “Shrek” franchise, and kind of feels like it could have been so much more. Entertaining and fun watch, family friendly.
There is a common thread between the conflicting feelings teenagers express in the movies as do with some real life teenagers. Anxiety, trying to fit it, neanderthal bullying. It sucks. Compounded by the fact that you are an even more confused mutant makes it worse. Just ask Michael Landon.
