We’ve all felt like outsiders at times, but at least we weren’t blue while doing it. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is heading to theaters this weekend and this new DreamWorks Animation movie isn’t quite what we expected. While the movie does open up the DreamWorks Universe some, and allows them a new franchise to build – this teen-focused film hits the screens with minor conflicts and a deeper message.
Ruby is just like every other kid at her school, except she’s really a sea creature, has only 4 fingers, and is well, blue. In other situations, it’d be hard to explain away, but the easy explanation for everything is she moved to Oceanside from Canada. Unfortunately, our neighbors from the north get the blame once again. And while this may be easily accepted by the people of Oceanside, it would be an easier-to-believe story if her family weren’t the only town members with gills, blue skin, and tentacle-like hair. But apparently, being Canadian is enough reasoning for all of the people in their town to just roll with it.
But, besides being a sea creature that is forbidden from going into the water, Ruby finds out along the way that her mother has been lying to her about the reason they can’t go into the water. It isn’t because it’s dangerous (per se) but she is in fact a giant sea Kraken princess who will have to face her destiny if she goes into the sea. That’s quite a lot to unpack for a teenager, especially one who just wants to go to Prom.
While Ruby struggles with asking out her crush to prom, balancing her new life realization and figuring out who she is – a new girl arrives at school – Chelsea. She’s beautiful and everyone’s instantly in love with her instant popularity. Thankfully, DreamWorks didn’t do the trope where Ruby’s crush falls for the new girl and leaves her in the dust. But instead, Chelsea befriends Ruby, and reveals she’s actually from the sea too – she’s really a mermaid! With red flowing hair and a saccharine sweet voice, Chelsea resembles Disney’s Ariel so closely it couldn’t be an accident. But everything isn’t what is seems, and Chelsea has her own motives for befriending Ruby.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a pretty low-conflict movie. Sure there is the big battle between the Kraken and the mermaid queen – but the main theme is more about self-acceptance, finding your own path, and the scariest of all – asking your crush to prom. It is a mix of teen angst and finding yourself no matter what the world throws at you.
The movie is animated in a more bubbly style, and a bit softer than some of the other previous DreamWorks films, but leans more into the water aspect in their design. With buildings and the town of Oceanside heavy on the water and nautical themes throughout. It creates a whole new world and playground for Ruby Gillman and her family, and possible sequels in the future.
It’s fun, it’s silly, and has minimal scary parts for younger viewers, but a lot of the themes are for tweens and teens. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is now in theaters.
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About RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN
Sometimes the hero you are meant to be lies just beneath the surface.
This summer, DreamWorks Animation dives into the turbulent waters of high school with a hilarious, heartfelt action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed.
Sweet, awkward 16-year-old Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise) is desperate to fit in at Oceanside High, but she mostly just feels invisible.
She’s math-tutoring her skater-boy crush (Jaboukie Young-White, Ralph Breaks the Internet), who only seems to admire her for her fractals, and she’s prevented from hanging out with the cool kids at the beach because her over-protective supermom (Oscar® nominee Toni Collette, Knives Out), has forbade Ruby from ever getting in the water.
But when she breaks her mom’s #1 rule, Ruby will discover that she is a direct descendant of the warrior Kraken queens and is destined to inherit the throne from her commanding grandmother (Academy Award® winner Jane Fonda), the Warrior Queen of the Seven Seas.
The Kraken are sworn to protect the oceans of the world against the vain, power-hungry mermaids who have been battling with the Kraken for eons. There’s one major, and immediate, problem with that: The school’s beautiful, popular new girl, Chelsea (Emmy winner Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek) just happens to be a mermaid. Ruby will ultimately need to embrace who she is and go big to protect those she loves most.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken stars an extraordinary cast that includes Emmy winner Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) as Ruby’s supportive dad, Emmy nominee Sam Richardson (Veep) as Ruby’s enthusiastic uncle and Blue Chapman (Council of Dads) as Ruby’s cool little brother.
Directed by Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Kirk DeMicco (Vivo, The Croods) and produced by Kelly Cooney Cilella (Trolls World Tour, Trolls), with Faryn Pearl (The Croods: A New Age, Trolls World Tour) serving as co-director, the film features a comedic powerhouse supporting cast, including Emmy nominee Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth), Emmy nominee Nicole Byer (Nailed It!), YouTube Diamond creator Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand), Ramona Young (Never Have I Ever), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things) and Echo Kellum (Arrow).