Minimovie review: Igor

Just stretching my reviewing skills here! Maybe someone will invite me to cover a convention or something.

Igor just came out on DVD this past week, and it's a mixed bag. You know how Pixar and Dreamworks 3D animated features have a sense of humor that appeals to both kids and adults? Well, Igor has that, too, except that it switches between the two, instead of blending them seamlessly. There's lots of black humor here, lots of little stuff that you wince at when your 6-year old is watching it. A good example is Steve Buscemi's character, Scamper the Immortal Rabbit, who tries to commit suicide at every turn throughout the first third of the film. One shot has a prank card blow a hole in his head: the camera zooms in to watch the brain and skull reform inside his damaged cranium.

So, possibly not so good for kids.

However, the plot is simplistic and obviously aimed for the young crowd, so it's not so good for adults, either.

The voice acting is uneven: it sounds like they went cheap on the audio guys. A lot of stuff falls flat mostly because the voices don't seem rich or dynamic enough. Steve Buscemi steals the show, while headliner John Cusack, who is my hero, is not meant for voice work, as his voice comes off so everyman that I had to constantly remind myself that it was John Cusack that was behind the mic.

Overall, there are some laugh-out-loud spots, and, once you remove the kids from the room you can feel comfortable about laughing at a rabbit who eats off his own legs to escape a trap, so the film is a minor win. The art style is very stylistic, with lots of subtle animal themes, and the commentary is mostly about the art direction, which is interesting. Overall, I'd say to rent this movie if it appeals to you.