Minuscule 2, the tropical adventure – Minuscule – Les mandibules du bout du monde (2018)

Directed by: Hélène Giraud, Thomas Szabo | 90 minutes | animation, adventure | Dutch voice cast: Jelle Amersfoort | Original voice cast: Bruno Salomone, Thierry Frémont, Stéphane Coulon, Jean Nanga, Sarah Cohen-Hadria, Jean-Paul Guyon, Bô Gaultier de Kermoal, Franck Benezech, Luc Morvan, Huifang Liu, Ruwan Aerts, Jacqueline Beretti, André Caron, Juanita Cassiet Laurens Ehrmann

‘Minuscule’ started out as a series of short animation films that zoomed in in a burlesque and quirky way on the daily experiences of comically designed insects. The figures, created using 3D techniques, experience their adventures against the background of lifelike landscapes, set in rural France. The sound is a combination of natural insect sounds and artificial sound effects. The animated insects in the Minuscule films are quite intelligent and experience at least a basic form of emotions such as pleasure, love, sadness and empathy.

In 2013, part of the animated insect cast also made its first appearance in a feature-length production. In ‘Minuscule: La vallée des fourmis perdues’ (‘Miscule and the valley of ants’) we saw how a lost ladybug befriended a group of black ants who, preyed upon by a colony of aggressive red ants, tried to secure a box of delicious sugar cubes .

‘Minuscule 2: Les mandibles du bout du monde’ (‘Minuscule 2: The Tropical Adventure’) begins in a wintry France, where the ladybugs are busy stocking up on the food they need to survive the coldest months of the year in their winter quarters. can endure. However, a ladybug gets stuck in a box in a warehouse heading towards Guadeloupe. A rescue attempt by his dotted parent (or friend?) fails, after which both insects make an unintended journey to the tropics. A black ant befriended the ladybugs and an eight-legged companion embarks on a daring rescue mission. Will the animals ever see their beloved and familiar living environment again?

Creating animation works like the Minuscule movies is not easy. Since the minor protagonists don’t talk, you have to convey emotions and jokes through basic sounds like buzzing, honking and squeaking. Due to the good timing and the endearing appearance of the fairly minimalistic designed creatures, this works very well. The result: an entertaining, original and at times even compelling mix of slapstick, tension and emotion.

Visually, there is also little wrong with this animated film. The familiar European nature in France and the exotic French Caribbean provide breathtaking panoramas. Also beautiful are the exotic animals that pass by, such as colorful yet predatory praying mantis, a round-bellied white shark, a clumsy dancing jumping spider and a community of slightly poisonous (but benign) caterpillars. The flying toy ship (with the help of balloons and two outboard motors), on which the ant and spider make their journey from France to the Caribbean, is also an original and visually beautifully elaborated find. In addition, the attentive viewer will also discover subtle references to other films in this pleasant animation epic. The people who play along do set certain events in motion, but are mostly background figures who remain in the shadow of the arthropod heroes who give the film color and character.

There is therefore little to criticize about ‘Minuscule 2’. It is an animated film that will appeal to children and will also bring a smile to the face of many adults. The only minor caveat you could make is that an hour and a half running time might be a bit long for a film of this type, especially since the story is simple and not very special. Yet it never gets boring or boring, which is a compliment to the inventiveness of the makers.