Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is the kind of bright, big-hearted animated adventure that sneaks up on you: it starts as an endearingly awkward high-school comedy and swells into a candy-colored ocean fantasy with real warmth in its currents. The movie’s special trick is how it turns “feeling like a monster” into a playful, empowering metaphor, buoyed by lively voice work from Lana Condor, Toni Collette, and Annie Murphy that keeps the humor snappy and the emotions sincere. Visually, it’s a feast of bubbly color and kinetic action that never loses its family-friendly sweetness, even when the sea gets stormy. It’s not trying to be edgy or reinvent the genre, but if you want a funny, heartfelt coming-of-age ride with a splashy mythic twist, this one’s easy to like.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken wants to be a bright, teen-friendly twist on the “awkward kid discovers a hidden destiny” story, with a sea-monster makeover and a message about identity and family. The problem is it plays things extremely safe: the plot hits familiar beats, the surprises are easy to see coming, and the world-building never gets as weird or daring as the premise promises. If you’re hoping for sharp comedy, real emotional punch, or a genuinely fresh spin on mermaids-versus-krakens, you may find it pleasant but forgettable. Still, the animation is colorful, the tone is gentle enough for younger kids, and the cast brings some warmth even when the script feels on autopilot.