Around the World in 80 Days (2021)

Around the World in 80 Days (2021) is the kind of animated family adventure that remembers movies can be light on their feet and big in their imagination, whisking you from place to place with a breezy, storybook sense of wonder. Its charm comes from the odd-couple pairing of a wide-eyed, bookish marmoset and a gloriously impulsive frog, whose mismatched energies fuel a globe-trotting romp that’s more about momentum and mischief than heavy lessons. The visuals are bright and inviting, the humor is gentle and goofy, and the whole thing carries an enjoyably bonkers “let’s see what’s around the next corner” vibe that makes it easy to watch with kids or when you just want something cheerful. If you’re looking for a faithful, serious Jules Verne adaptation you may find it too silly, but if you want a warm, energetic ride with cartoon peril and plenty of heart, it’s a delightful bet to take.

Around the World in 80 Days (2021) is clearly aiming for a breezy, kid-friendly globe-trotting romp with a sweet odd-couple pairing and lots of postcard-style stops along the way. The problem is it often feels like a string of loosely connected episodes rather than a story that builds, so even with a short runtime the pacing can drag and the stakes never quite land. The humor is mild and hit-or-miss, and the writing doesn’t give the characters much depth beyond their basic traits, which makes it hard to care where the journey is going. If you’re looking for something on the level of the stronger modern animated family films, this may feel thin, but younger viewers who just want colorful travel antics and gentle cartoon peril might still have a decent time.