My Father's Dragon

From the creators of Song of the Sea & Wolfwalkers comes another family-friendly delight that retains the simple, charming & childlike animation that Cartoon Saloon is best-known for but is lacking on the narrative front this time around, for My Father's Dragon packs a kid-friendly plot that will keep the young viewers invested but there isn't much in store for the grown-ups.

Directed by Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner), the story has all the magical charm & innocence that's expected from the studio but unlike their previous works, there isn't a complexity & layer to it that made those films enchanting for viewers of all ages. What unfolds in the city had more promise than where it journeys into, plus the execution is also lacking the emotional resonance.

The rich animation remains visually appealing and the characters are gorgeously rendered too with simple designs & colourful brushstrokes. However, the premise is generic, devoid of depth and doesn't have enough to engage the adults. And it's only coz of our own familiarity with the studio's earlier efforts that we continue to stay aboard, expecting more than what it has in store.

Overall, My Father's Dragon has its moments and isn't entirely without merit either but it definitely falls short on the expectation scale and is the weakest film in the Irish animation studio's canon. Crafted with affection yet missing the allure & originality evident in their best-known works, this adventure fantasy may fail to exude the warmth of its predecessors but Cartoon Saloon's latest can still surprise some.