Available this Friday on Disney Plus we bring you our early The One and Only Ivan review.
A gorilla named Ivan tries to piece together his past with the help of an elephant named Stella as they hatch a plan to escape from captivity.
Streaming August 21st on Disney Plus is this heartwarming tale of togetherness and the desire to be free.
Thrust into the circus are these various animals who perform every day for a dwindling circus as ring leader Mack (Bryan Cranston) tries to find the next big attraction to draw the crowds back to his mall.
That next big attraction lies in the form of baby elephant Ruby (voiced by Brooklynn Prince).
For a split second I felt that The One and Only Ivan was about to Disney crossover with Dumbo for a second as this baby elephant is introduced to the circus but thankfully it stayed far away from that particular live-action remake.
As a whole The One and Only Ivan is both a film you love to see and hate to see at the same time.
The hilarity of Danny DeVito voicing a stray dog named Bob and the friendship he’s formed with Ivan the Gorilla (voiced by Sam Rockwell) adds layers of Disney charm to proceedings.
What you hate to see is all of the animals confined to tiny cages and pools. Giant elephants confined to cages and a sea lion stuck inside the tiniest pool you could ever wish to see.
A stark reminder that this happens far too frequently in many real-life attractions around the world. The undertones of animal captivity run strong throughout and as the film goes on the animals desire to be free takes centre stage.
Ivan grew up with Mack as a baby gorilla and a deep relationship was formed. He was free to roam around with Mack but as he grew older he would damage more things and Mack found him a permanent home within the mall.
Ivan’s no ordinary gorilla, he can paint and based upon a true story Ivan drew a picture that people interpreted as a call sign for wanting to be set free.
Whilst the real-life Gorilla didn’t paint anything as starkingly obvious as Ivan did in the movie it’s crazy to think that this actually happened.
With a stellar voice cast line up of Helen Mirren, Angelina Jolie and more The One and Only Ivan has star power and feels like a solid family movie.
A bit too Disneyfied in places with extreme cheesiness centre stage and that extra layer of gloss added to most Disney features but all the same a wonderful heart-warming feature that highlights key issues regarding animal captivity without ever being too political or making it too heavy of a focus whilst still delivering a solid emotionally gripping movie.
Solidarity, friendship and loyalty are all on display as Ivan and the animals are torn between the man who looked after them their whole lives and the desire to be free.
A slow starter but an absolutely beautiful film all the same.
The One and Only Ivan review by Sean Evans
Our Rating
Summary
It’s crazy to think that this movie is based off a true story.
A beautiful film that is perfect for all the family. With incredible live action CGI (expect nothing less from Disney) and great vocal talent behind the animals this is certainly one to watch on Disney Plus.
