bob the moo
Out in the glades of Florida, an old man out on his boat seems disinterested in protecting the natural world around him, and more in scavenging from a boat wreck he spies nearby. He finds a jar filled with some sort of bug, but in attempting to deal with it in the only way he knows (chemicals) he finds something unexpected.There is a reasonably clear environmental message across this film, if you look at the start and end; we see the old man allowing pesticides and fumes to spray across trees without regard for protecting the local ecosystem, and it ends with nature very clearly having the upper- hand on him in the end. If it sounds like this may then be a bit clumsy and preachy, then do not worry, because the "message" is really only secondary compared to the events of the film. It feels like aliens crossed with nature (space being an extension of the natural world I guess) and as such it takes the man on quite a journey to discover the power of the bugs he has found. Those looking for everything in the narrative to be clear and explained will be disappointed that it is not, but it is better for it because it does hook you to see where it goes.The animation is very stylish and has a great look throughout; the final shot in particular is very satisfying and attractive to see – and manages to be equally baffling (in terms of the specifics) but yet clear (in terms of the broad message). It has no dialogue apart from grunts (although Greg Tonner gets a credit for this) but yet it engages by how attractive it is to watch, and the creativity of its content. Well worth a look for what it does well – which is most things.
