It is lonely at the top and that’s also the case when it comes to computer animation. The top movies are made with budgets that run into the tens of millions and many more are spent on promoting them. This makes it hard for smaller studios to compete and results in smaller animation movies not getting attention. Jungle Shuffle is one of them. Does this one manage to separate itself enough from the rest to get attention?
The story revolves about two coatis named Manu and Sacha. They want to get romantically involved, but because of circumstances are not allowed to see each other anymore. When Sacha is captured and taken by hunter taking her to an evil genius trying to create a super chicken, it is Manu who tries to find her and free her.
It is clear that there wasn’t a big budget available to make the film. The animation is often choppy and the environment don’t impress. The characters sport a cel-shaded look, but many creatures don’t have an attractive design (like the monkeys in this film). The characters are very one dimensional and hardly have any development. Add to that a very predictable story and the result is an unimpressive movie. The story might entertain the kids, but parents will quickly get bored.
Looks like a children’s television programe given a “feature film” chance. Fail.
Yeah, that’s definitely what it feels like Rodney.