Now available on streaming platforms is the latest film from DreamWorks studios, Ruby Gillman,Teenage Kraken. The film will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on September 26, 2023.
The animated film stars the voice talents of Lana Condor, Toni Collette, Jane Fonda, Liz Koshy, Annie Murphy, Will Forte, and Blue Chapman.
I have been wanting to see this film ever since I saw the trailer for it.
Dive into the turbulent waters of high school with this heartwarming action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed.
Learning to be an all-powerful sea creature while hiding among humans is hard enough for Ruby, but to make matters worse, her super popular new bestie, Chelsea, is secretly a mermaid! Mermaids have been battling the Krakens for eons to rule the ocean, but Chelsea has come to land to finally put an end to that conflict. However, when Chelsea double-crosses her, Ruby will ultimately need to embrace who she is and GO BIG to protect those she loves most..
If you are unaware of what a kraken is, a kraken is a mythical sea creature from Scandinavian folklore. Krakens were suppose to big ginormous, and could easily taken down ships. The truth is that a kraken was nothing more than a giant squid (or octopus).
Every time I think of the word “kraken,” I think of the movie Clash of the Titans where the line is uttered “Release the kracken!“. If you’ve seen the film, you know what I am referring to.
I really enjoyed this film a lot. I honestly don’t think that there was enough promotion for this film. This film could have been a huge success, but hardly anyone knows about it, at least the people I brought the film up to. I’ve talked to some neighbors and friends (those with children) and none of them – literally – ever heard of the film. That is so sad.
This film has a wonderful storyline. It has a lot of relatable situations too, from friendships to bullies, and from first crushes to wanting to fit in. Even the family dynamics are touched upon (Ruby fights with her mom in ways most teenagers would).
The characters in this film are likable. I didn’t necessarily like the kraken looks, they were kind of odd looking, but other than that I think the characters are cute and funny.
The animation is this film is excellent. The animated ocean makes it look more like a real ocean and not an animation. You can almost feel yourself bobbing up and down on the ocean’s surface.
This would make a great film for “family movie night.”
There is plenty of bonus content worth checking out.
- DELETED SCENES WITH INTROS – Introductions by Co-Director Faryn Pearl
- PROLOGUE
- WALK TO SCHOOL
- CRAB ‘N SKATE
- OCEANSIDE DRAWING GUIDE – Head of story, Glenn Harmon, will teach everyone how to draw RubyGillman in her teenager and kraken forms, Grandmamah, Chelsea, and mermaid Chelsea.
- RUBYGILLMAN
- KRAKEN RUBY
- GRANDMAMAH
- CHELSEA VAN DER ZEE
- MERMAID CHELSEA
- MAKE YOUR OWN AQUARIUM – With a few simple products and a little imagination, you can bring the undersea world into your own home.
- KRAKENARIUM
- WELL OF SEAS
- SQUAD SOLIDARITY: ADVENTURES IN ADR
- THE KRAKEN: MYTH OR MONSTER – In this animated piece narrated by Lana Condor and Annie Murphy, we dive deep into the mysteries of krakens and discover how stories of these mythical beasts have evolved over hundreds and hundreds of years.
- MEET THE GILLMANCAST – Meet the cast behind your favorite Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken characters and discover what they loved about lending their voices to this aquatic adventure!
- THE KRAKEN KREW: MEET THE HUMANS BEHIND THE GILLMANS
- PROM STORIES – Ruby’s greatest wish was to attend prom with her friends and crush Connor! Here, the cast of the movie share their own prom stories and explain how they would design a promposal.
- SUPER SEA GIRL BESTIES – If you can see it, you can be it! In this piece we meet the talented women involved in the making of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken.
- FEATURE COMMENTARY – with Director Kirk DeMicco, Co-Director Faryn Pearl, Producer Kelly Cooney Cilella, Head of Character Animation Carlos Fernandez Puertolas and Head of Cinematography, Layout Jon Gutman.
If you are interested in learning more about this fun film, you can visit the film’s official webpage HERE.
You can also check out the film on social media.
Facebook: @teenagekrakenmovie
Instagram: @teenagekrakenmovie
TikTok: @dreamworks
Twitter: @dreamworks
#TeenageKrakenMovie
Did you see this film? What did you think about it? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts.
The film’s trailer is below for your enjoyment.
Kimberly
*I received a free copy of this film in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.