Ruby Gillman (voice of Lana Condor) is a sixteen-year-old who lives in Oceanside with her mother Agatha (voice of Toni Colette), father Arthur (voice...
Ruby Gillman is a sixteen-year-old who lives in Oceanside with her mother Agatha , father Arthur and brother . While trying to navigate the usual problems of an awkward teenager, Ruby also has to contend with the fact that she's actually a kraken who turns into a giant monster whenever she ends up in water. Of course, matters get worse when she reunites with her grandmother and befriends a new girl in school who shares a connection with her...
Let's get the awkward part out of the way before this gets too far into it - yes, the timing for 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' couldn't be possibly worse. No, they didn't hastily add in any kind of jokes or noticeably cut out any scenes from it either. In fact, the whole sea creature / mysteries of the deep thing is really just a metaphor for adulthood and acknowledging our innate gifts.
Yet, compared to 'Turning Red', the efforts here in 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' feel decidedly less incisive. It's broader strokes with less detail, more geared for fun and laughs than it is towards saying something original or heartfelt. In a lot of ways, it feels like it's drafting off the success of 'Turning Red' rather than finding its own wave.
Still, 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' is a pleasant and family-friendly animated adventure-comedy. Though it might lack a keen edge, it's all too agreeable and enjoyable for that to stop you from taking little and not quite little ones along to enjoy it.