Michael B. Jordan Stars in Cute Netflix Animated Film
IndieWire • • entertainment
Key Points:
- "Swapped," a new Netflix animated film from Skydance Animation, shows improvement over the studio's previous efforts "Luck" and "Spellbound," benefiting from direction by Nathan Greno and a voice role by Michael B. Jordan.
- The film tells a simple, colorful fable about a tiny woodland creature named Ollie who swaps bodies with a rival species, exploring themes of empathy and overcoming distrust in a shared environment.
- While visually appealing and featuring a lush score, the movie's dialogue is generic and lacks the comic energy and musical elements that typically engage young children, limiting its appeal mainly to toddlers.
- The story conveys a moral about the dangers of a scarcity mindset and the importance of communication, though it simplifies predator-prey dynamics and offers little narrative complexity beyond a predictable plot.
- Overall, "Swapped" is a modest, unambitious film that serves as a temporary distraction rather than a memorable classic, reflecting Skydance Animation's current position in the industry; it is rated Grade C.
