Thelma the Unicorn
Thelma the Unicorn
Netflix’s Thelma the Unicorn is much closer to the dark adult animation series BoJack Horseman and quite much further from Illumination’s boring Sing series. The myths of originality are however not lost due to the inclusion of acid humor and a bunch of eccentric characters. Based on the author Aaron Blabey’s popular 2015 picture book, the colorful fairy tale presents a story about a unicorn pony aspiring to become a superstar with a magical horn. However, in attempting to put herself in that position of pursuit that ambition, Thelma has lost her true self, as well as, her true kin.
This is her first feature animation – Jared Hess, working alongside Lynn Wang in the position of co-director. The writer and director is best known for making the independent film entitled ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ in 2004 and this year he was nominated for an Oscar in the animated short film category for a film called ‘Ninety-Five Senses’ about a man on death row. Jerusha Hess, his wife, was also a co-writer for the film. That regard has nothing to do with this world where human beings live with animals that can talk.
Brittany Howard, who has been the albama shakes lead singer, takes on the role of the conflicted singing heroine in this entertaining drama. The short ponytail of the performer and the vocal megaphones are in some odd contrast which makes one listen to the soul rock rather than some thin pop tunes. In this situation however, Howard’s privileged voice clearly underlines the point that whatever Thelma looks like physically, it is her craftsmanship that deserves attention from the audience.
One of the most significant changes in comparison with the original is Of course, Howard is also the likely inspiration for many of Thelma’s design features. It seems the animals in this world don’t serve their humans but Thelma, accompanied by her donkey mates, works on a farm together with her band Otis (Will Forte) and Reggie who is a star from “Napoleon Dynamite” Jon Heder.
The three of them form a band, the Rusty Buckets, which has not been able to make it to any big music festival. Perhaps their luck is about to change, though, as Thelma explodes in fame overnight. When she accidentally morphs into an unrealistic glittering pink unicorn with a carrot for a horn, it is reasonable to expect the plot to focus on her cover being blown.
There is even a video circulating on the World Wide Web (yes, animals have cellphones, though they walk on fours with no pockets to keep them) which, in Vic Diamond (Jemaine Clement) – a shady sleazy manager cut out from the very ‘70s, how about Swan in Phantom of the Paradise – convinces Thelma to pursue her in the hope of making big bucks out of her.
When it opts to ridicule the general stereotypes of the music industry, much like in ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,’ is when “Thelma the Unicorn” appears to be funny, even if only for a short moment. Nikki Narwhal (sung by Ally Dixon), a fishy pop star star who is envious of Thelma’s anticipated success, and Vic relate the dark side of the industry: at some moment, Vic shows Nikki a horrible criticism of her Las Vegas performance and afterwards he is ridiculous when he drives a boat along the Los Angeles River. Having signed with Vic, Thelma is first put into the classic Hollywood mold where she is made to pretend to be in love with a famous horse and, when a computer generates a dumb song about cud, there’s a little line about A.I. as well.
In terms of the overall conception, “Thelma the Unicorn” is quite difficult to distinguish from the other low-key computer animated films. Most of the human characters could be transposed within this animation and no one would even notice that they are out of place and could belong in a Despicable Me movie.
The same goes for the animals who were created in such a manner that they would blend with the environment and characters in Sing. The fact that there may be minor distinctions between these on a more granular level does not seem to impress; what does is the disappoinitng fluidity in the design, textures, and lighting that does not capture one’s eye.
This duality is seen throughout the Hess screenplay as the audience is shown the lives of the background characters in a comedic and absurd manner. Look out for a strangely short middle aged man who is obsessed with Thelma to the point that he wants her as a mother, most likely a joke about old men who are deeply infatuated with the cartoon Bronie’s.
Or even better, a young girl asking Thelma’s ‘boyfriend’ to sign the urn which contains the ashes of her grandmother. Such brief appearances are numerous, and combine to make a lasting impression, which is the opposite of the central plot and its basic principle. Not as many as what was available in last year “Leo”. However, Hess and Wang managed to make their work very bold and absolutely graphic.
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