This review was made possible by an advance screener of The Imaginary. The Imaginary releases on Netflix on July 5, 2024.
If I had a nickel for every time a film about imaginary friends being forgotten was released this year, I’d have 3 nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it has happened three times.
We started off the year with the horror film from Blumhouse Productions, Imaginary. We then got the loveable family film IF from John Krasinski, and now we have an anime film, The Imaginary, based on the British children’s book of the same name by A.F. Harrold. It makes you question, does The Imaginary offer anything new to the table on the discussion of imaginary friends becoming non-existent as time passes by, and I can confidently say before getting into this review that it subverts expectations on the topic.
Studio Ponoc Honours Studio Ghibli
The Imaginary comes from Studio Ponoc, which was founded back in 2015 by former lead producer Yoshiaki Nishimura from Studio Ghibli and has now brought us their third film with the studio, with Yoshiyuki Momose at the helm, also deriving from Studio Ghibli as an animator. The film’s connection to Studio Ghibli becomes clear as soon as you notice its unique 2D animation style. It’s more than just the animation that brings you back to Studio Ghibli; it’s also its storytelling. While it is an adaptation of a British children’s novel, it is seemingly the perfect story for them to handle over at Studio Ponoc.
This film follows the story of a girl named Amanda and her imaginary friend Rudger as they go on numerous adventures. However, one day, a mysterious man and a terrifying little girl that no one else can see come into their lives, threatening to take Rudger away and ruin everything. Rudger eventually comes across a haven for forgotten imaginary friends, where they must find a new home or else.
As mentioned previously, there have already been two other films this year that have touched on this subject, and unfortunately, I don’t think The Imaginary offers anything new to the table that we haven’t already seen discussed in those previous films, but it’s still interesting to see how it touches on themes such as loss and grief.
The Imaginary takes its time to talk us through why imaginary friends come to exist and its role as a coping mechanism, whether that be through fear or grief. It is there as a mechanism to help keep you as a kid strong through those moments, and just as expected, when they’re not needed anymore, they vanish. It’s a message we’ve seen time and time again, but it is one that I’m always welcome to, and that’s providing different ways to deal with trauma, no matter what it is.0
Reality Is No Match For ‘The Imaginary’
The Imaginary distinguishes itself from films like IF by featuring a villain I find truly terrifying. Mr. Bunting is a man who might seem harmless to adults, but to kids and imaginary friends, he’s the Grim Reaper. His sole purpose is to eat imaginary friends, helping him live longer and become stronger. From the moment you get a first glimpse at him in the film, you feel his unsettling aura. He’s a villain that isn’t to be messed with, and unlike many other animated films, the villain doesn’t play about in this one.
It’s what helps set this film apart from its other imaginary friend counterparts, as it provides a villain that brings high stakes not only to Amanda and Rudger but to every imaginary friend that exists or that’s in hiding at the haven. There’s a line in the film, “Even this is nothing but imaginary,” and it’s one of the scariest lines in the film considering what follows. I was not only in shock but took a few minutes break from watching the film to catch my thoughts on what I had just witnessed.
While the power of imagination is strong and capable of anything, as Amanda and Rudger showcase, the one thing that can bring an end to it is stone-cold reality, a fact that The Imaginary is able to touch on with its villain, adding to the already high stakes that he brought along. In the end, Amanda and Rudger have an unbreakable bond, one that’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.
Not only is Amanda’s imagination powerful, but combined with Rudger, it helps make the unimaginable real in moments that will bring tears to your eyes with how emotionally powerful the film gets in its third and final act. While reality is supposed to counter imagination, there’s nothing more real than the bond between a human and its imaginary friend at the end of the day.
‘The Imaginary’ – Final Thoughts
The Imaginary is a beautiful and touching film that doesn’t shy away from hard topics such as loss and grief. It goes through how kids handle these difficult situations by using imaginary friends as a coping mechanism. The animation is masterfully hand-drawn and helps bring the film to life with its various designs for each imaginary friend, each one being unique.
The villain of the film is one that’ll be stuck in my head for the remainder of the year, as he actually brings high stakes to what seems like a loving and caring film about imagination. It’s a visually stunning movie that’s not only hilarious but also entertaining every step of the way. If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli films or have enjoyed the past films this year about imaginary friends, then this is the film for you.
The Imaginary releases on Netflix on July 5, 2024. Check out the trailer below.
The Review
The Imaginary
'The Imaginary is a beautiful and touching film that doesn't shy away from hard topics such as loss and grief. It goes through how kids handle these difficult situations by using imaginary friends as a coping mechanism. The animation is masterfully hand-drawn and helps bring the film to life with its various designs for each imaginary friend, each one being unique. The villain of the film is one that'll be stuck in my head for the remainder of the year, as he actually brings high stakes to what seems like a loving and caring film about imagination. It's a visually stunning movie that's not only hilarious but also entertaining every step of the way. If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli films or have enjoyed the past films this year about imaginary friends, then this is the film for you.
