The Snail and the Whale (2020)

The Snail and the Whale Review

The Snail and the Whale is a 2020 animated short film directed by Max Land and adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson. It’s a sweet flick.

The Snail and the Whale follows the amazing journey of a tiny snail who longs to see the world and hitches a ride on the tail of a friendly humpback whale. The messaging here is very predictable and typical for children – no matter your size, you can always impact the world. It also proposes that seeing the planet is downright a magical experience.

Although it is very standard in themes and message as well as the premise of a big and small animal befriending, the movie is still a highly adventurous ride, literally a ride on this whale. While the narration is overwhelming, it’s also quite endearing and suitable for children. The highlight is the animation, which brilliantly paints all of the ecosystems at display here. Seeing both the ocean and the land as well as the sky was inspiring and the movie’s underwater sequences are truly enchanting as is the score.

The Snail and the Whale is a spirited, magical look into the wonders of our blue planet, but narratively speaking it is far from authentic.

My Rating – 4