I’ve never owned a pet in my entire life, but almost all of my friends either own a dog or a cat, and I know from them that it’s similar to having a child. Although I can’t relate to having a pet and the love for the aforementioned pet, I do have a young relative, and I understand the anxiety that can come with caring for them. Flow brings that rush of anxiety right back as I witness this short-haired black cat get into situations that have me worrying for my life. Gints is able to tell a story here without an ounce of dialogue and takes us on an adventure that I can only describe as epic.
Just Go With The ‘Flow’
Flow tells the story of a black shorthair cat who lives in a post-apocalyptic world seemingly devoid of humans, who once worshipped the animals now roaming the land. After a flood destroys the cat’s home, he finds himself on a boat and ventures out, joined along the way by animals he must learn to trust. As a human, I already find it hard to trust someone I’ve just met, even if they seem like the friendliest person alive, so I can’t blame a cat for not wanting to trust the cutest dog that comes its way. The film starts with the cat coming across a group of dogs fighting over freshly caught food from the water. Among them is a golden retriever who seems uninterested in the food and would rather befriend the cat.
We get to see them interact some more after a while, but the cat still doesn’t trust the dog’s intentions and climbs up into its home, where the dog unfortunately can’t reach. It’s here that I noticed how well the animals are animated in Flow. We get a closer look at how detailed the movements of the animals are and how closely they resemble reality. It’s refreshing to see that Zilbalodis chose a more realistic approach to the animals rather than an over-the-top expressive style.
Once the tsunami hits, sweeping away the cat’s home, he finds himself on a boat, separated from the golden retriever and now accompanied by a capybara who doesn’t seem to care much about the cat. Still, the cat remains wary of the capybara. Flow reminds me a lot of the video game Stray, where the central character is also a cat in a post-apocalyptic world. However, unlike the game, where dialogue comes from robots who inhabit the world, Flow strips away all dialogue. Zilbalodis demonstrated with his first film that he’s more than capable of creating a silent movie, and he does it again here, solidifying himself as a visual storyteller. He tells the story not only through the visuals but also through the music, composed by himself and Rihards Zalupe, which flows seamlessly with the narrative. The only sounds we hear throughout the film are the sounds of nature, the water, and the animals that we follow for 85 minutes.
Flow features some of the best animation I’ve seen in any animated project this year. The locations we visit are rendered in vibrant colours that bring warmth to your heart, simply making you feel at ease. There are moments where Flow takes on a mystical quality with its visuals, and these are some of the most stunning scenes in the film. While the story itself isn’t mystical, it feels that way in every other sense. The designs of the animals are simple yet gorgeous, highlighting the beauty of a world now ruled by the animal kingdom. The absence of dialogue only enhances the experience, allowing you to fully absorb the visuals and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the film. If the cat is being swept away by the flood, you feel as though you are being swept away too.
The Core Themes of ‘Flow’
The two themes that Flow bases much of its story around are friendship and trust. These two themes are deeply interconnected; without trust, there can be no friendship, and vice versa. Aboard the boat with the cat are a capybara, a golden retriever, a lemur, and a tall bird. The cat initially struggles to trust the golden retriever but slowly warms up to them throughout the film. The same can’t be said for all the animals, especially the tall bird, who has a mean attitude and, quite frankly, scares the others.
In the end, it’s the friendship they manage to build and solidify that helps them survive the treacherous journey, and it’s heartwarming to watch these animals, who wouldn’t typically bond, become friends under the difficult circumstances that have brought them together. Without giving away spoilers, there’s a moment in the final scenes of Flow that truly encapsulates the friendship between these animals, and it’s a touching moment that almost brought me to tears. In the end, it’s the friendship they manage to build and solidify that helps them survive the treacherous journey, and it’s heartwarming to watch these animals, who wouldn’t typically bond, become friends under the difficult circumstances that have brought them together. Without giving away spoilers, there’s a moment in the final scenes of Flow that truly encapsulates the friendship between these animals, and it’s a touching moment that almost brought me to tears.
‘Flow’ – Final Thoughts
Gints Zilbalodis delivers some of the strongest animation of 2024 with Flow. As a powerful visual storyteller, he tells a simple yet captivating story about a cat and a group of animals who must survive a flood. With visuals that evoke emotional warmth and a score that helps carry the narrative, Flow easily secures a spot in my top five animated films of the year. Last year, it was proven that an animated film without dialogue, Robot Dreams, could be nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, and it seems history may repeat itself with Flow.
Flow releases in theatres on November 22, 2024. Check out the trailer below.
