ScreenshotHome
Directed by: Tim Johnson
Starring: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Jones
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Boov are utilitarian. They do not dance or form friendships, and making mistakes is forbidden. But what these little purple aliens are really good at is running away. Tim Johnson’s new animated film Home follows Oh, an outcast Boov, and the rest of his species as they invade earth to flee the enemy Gorgs.
Earth is perfect for Boov habitation — it’s already been developed and there’s plenty of space. Anything the Boov don’t find useful is gathered in bundles and tossed into the sky —except for humans. Humans are sucked up into giant vacuums and spit out in Australia, leaving the rest of earth ripe for Boov occupation.
But when Oh threatens the safety of the species with a dreaded mistake, he and his unlikely friend Tip — a preteen human who evaded captivity — must travel across the globe to put things right again.
Home appeals to both older and younger crowds, and is one animated movie you’ll probably appreciate as much as your younger siblings. The upbeat electro-pop soundtrack featuring — you guessed it — JLo and Rihanna may make you nauseous at times, but at least it leads to a few hilarious dance scenes. The Boov vernacular on the other hand, which is a kind of poorly conjugated but precisely articulated English, generates constant laughs, and coming from Jim Parsons is just that much better.
What makes this flick engaging for the older crowd is the underlying adult-only plotline that becomes clearer with wisdom. There may not be penises disguised as sand-castles on the movie poster or hidden messages written in the stars, but in a very Avatar-ian fashion Home questions the effects of colonialism and the ignorance behind it.
Under the headship of Captain Smek, the Boov species has flown from planet to planet to escape the destruction of the Gorgs, but all the while, has neglected to see their own planetary invasions as destructive. After sending all humans to crowded “Happy Human Towns” in Australia, the Boov take over earth with no consideration for its original inhabitants. At first, the colonization appears lighthearted, as the Boov are so ignorant they truly believe humans won’t notice or mind being relocated — after all “Boov do not steal and abduct; Boov liberate and befriend.” But as Tip watches old home videos of her mom in the blanket fort she constructed to hide herself from the Boov, it’s easy to recognize the serious repercussions of the alien invasion — namely that it destroys families.
On the surface, Home is a story about unlikely friendships and coming to terms with the mistakes we make. But beneath that, it’s a film that brings to light modern issues in a way that’s easy to access and digest.
Through all of the playful and contemplative moments, Home is a fun and lively movie, reminiscent of its predecessors’ Antz and How to Train Your Dragon. With a perfect cast (who knew Rihanna would make a convincing 13-year-old?) and a carefully constructed balance of humour and sentimentality, this film definitely deserves a watch.
Plus, if you take your little brother or sister they will be forever grateful, and — aside from the satisfaction of just being a nice older sibling — you can probably call in some favours. Win-win.
