Extinct (2021)

Extinct has that rare, breezy charm where a goofy premise—two donut-shaped critters tumbling into modern-day Shanghai—turns into a surprisingly sweet adventure about belonging, second chances, and not letting your “weird” be a weakness. Director David Silverman keeps the pacing snappy and the visuals bright and playful, filling the movie with poppy city energy, time-hopping mischief, and jokes that land for kids while still winking at adults. Adam Devine and Rachel Bloom make Ed and Op an endearing, bickering duo you can’t help rooting for, especially once the story starts nudging at bigger ideas like extinction and responsibility without getting heavy-handed. It’s not aiming to reinvent animation, and the humor can get a little silly, but if you want a cute, colorful family comedy with a big heart and an easy-to-like vibe, this one’s a solid bet.

Extinct is clearly trying to be a cute, high-energy time-travel adventure with a sweet “save the species” message and a bunch of quirky extinct-animal sidekicks. The problem is the story gets busy and oddly convoluted for a family comedy, so it can feel like it’s sprinting through plot mechanics instead of landing emotional beats or genuinely clever jokes. The animation and character designs have a glossy, TV-movie sheen that may disappoint anyone expecting big-studio polish, and the humor leans more noisy and random than sharp or memorable. If you’ve got younger kids who’ll laugh at slapstick and colorful chaos, it can pass an afternoon, but if you’re picky about tight storytelling, originality, or Pixar-level charm, this probably isn’t your stop.