Smallfoot is hardly the first animated movie to feature a brave, big-hearted protagonist stepping up to challenge the status quo; both Shrek and How To Train Your Dragon feature similar premises. But it’s actually Moana which it most resembles, as it too sees its titular character defy traditions that have been obeyed by their people for centuries in the name of personal growth and eye-widening discovery.
Yeti Migo (Tatum) lives on the side of a mountain hidden by clouds. He loves his life and is eager to become an integral cog in Sasquatch society, just like his father. But it’s monotonous, as their day-to-day routine is set out by ancient stones that decree they do all sorts of things, like bang a gong every morning to wake the “light snail” and feed ice balls to the unseen mammoths that “are holding their land up”.
Smallfoot's sympathetic portrayal of both man and beast is sweet.
Another stone tells them to never ask questions, so when indoctrinated Migo happens across a Smallfoot — aka a human, something the stones state doesn’t exist — he starts to wonder what else the ruling rocks might be lying about. And more importantly, why did they fib in the first place?
Every decent kids animation has a message, and Smallfoot is no exception — embrace curiosity, seek out truths and be kind to those who are different. That’s not to say the morals are so overpowering it forgets to have fun. Much of the humour is slapstick — Yetis crumple like accordions as they frequently slam into things — but it boasts plenty of wit too, from Percy the human’s comically squeaky voice (as heard through Migo’s ears) and his confusion over Migo’s intentions with him, to the Yetis deducing that a toilet roll must be some kind of sacred scroll.
Danny DeVito, Gina Rodriguez, Ely Henry and LeBron James voice their not-so-Abominable Snowbeings with so much energy that when the film focuses on the humans, it loses momentum and you’ll find yourself wanting to be back with the furry guys. Fortunately, you never have to wait too long. The film’s sympathetic portrayal of both man and beast is sweet, meaning that the film lacks in much-needed drama — it’s evident it could have benefited from having a clear-cut villain. But despite the story being a little rudimentary compared to the more profound tales of Disney and Pixar, the animation — all glistening snow, golden sunrises and neon-lit Himalayan villages — is a treat to behold.
