One of the joys of being a film fan is the experience of watching an obscure film and it catching you completely by surprise. This is usually a movie your standard filmgoer misses out on because they aren’t as willing to take risks on questionable properties. I had such a pleasant surprise while watching the latest European imported animated film The Son of Bigfoot.

The lead protagonist of The Son of Bigfoot is a teenage boy named Adam. He is a very likable, sweet kid who never got to know his father who mysteriously disappeared when he was young. His Mom does her best alone but she can’t corral his adventurous spirit (or his ever growing bushy hair). One day he finds a clue that leads him to wonder if there is more to his father’s story than he has been told. Could he be the mysterious Bigfoot that wanders the local forest? Adam sets on a journey to find out with his friendly animal sidekicks.

All of this could have been super lame but it is executed very well, and I was thoroughly entertained. Here is a trailer to learn more:

What is most impressive about The Son of Bigfoot is how it manages to subvert certain animated tropes like talking animals by using them in such an engaging way. When I think of the difference between this film’s humor and something like The Star (which also had talking animals) there is no comparison. The animal sidekicks are actually funny in The Son of Bigfoot! It also has a lot of heart as Adam learns about his Dad, himself and that he must forgive his parents for their shortcomings.

Especially coming from the director that brought us Fly Me to the Moon and The Wild Life, the animation in The Son of Bigfoot is impressive. The action sequences have a nice flow and the fur/hair is well done. The backgrounds and forest building is also very solid for a small budgeted animated film.

There are no celebrity voice actors, which is such a refreshing change, and the dubbing is well done. I even enjoyed the music by a band called Puggy that is throughout the film.

As far as downsides, the evil corporate villain was a bit of a snore and not every joke works but those are small nitpicks. I really enjoyed The Son of Bigfoot. What a pleasant surprise! I encourage you to look for it on-demand or when it comes to your local library and give it a shot. It’s appropriate for the entire family and will entertain all ages. I even cried at sequences!

What is an animated film that surprised you and was much better than you anticipated? Share in the comments section

★★★★