The Great Slime Movie (2020)

Directed by: Hans Somers | 80 minutes | adventure, family | Actors: Bibi, Rómeycia Valentijn, Vincent Visser, Géza Weisz, Djamila, Sarah Nauta, Ferdi Stofmeel, Tina de Bruin, Tine Embrechts, Sarah Mouhamou

Slime has been gaining popularity in recent years. There is no event for children without a workshop ‘making slime yourself’ and the variants are not available in toy stores. Yet the product has been around since toy giant Mattel introduced it in 1976. Would films like ‘Flubber’ and ‘Ghostbusters’ have existed without this brightly colored stuff?

‘The big slime film’ cleverly capitalizes on that trend and the casting of YouTube stars Bibi in the lead role and Djamila in a supporting role means the producers are already assured of a success. Fortunately, Bibi’s collaboration on the film isn’t just a commercial move; she is also by far the nicest element in ‘The great slime film’.

‘The great slime film’ is about friends Indy (Bibi) and Olivia (Rómeycia Valentijn, winner of the Youth News Competition in 2019). The two girls are crazy about slime and when their heroine, the slime queen Fie Valentijn (Sarah Mouhamou) announces a contest on International Slime Day to make the most original slime, they can’t think of anything else. Meanwhile, the children do have to deal with annoying parents: Bibi’s father only pays attention to his work as a scientist and for the umpteenth time abandons Bibi and her older brother Daan; Olivia has a demanding mother who won’t accept her daughter’s chance to speak again.

Indy’s brother Daan (Vincent Visser) has his own problems. He has to make quick money to pay for the costs of Olivia’s mother’s vase that was broken by a bouncing slime ball. He applies for and is hired at Duff, a local toy factory, run by Dominicus Duff (Géza Weisz). Duff is an eccentric, even somewhat childish, man obsessed with his own inventions and convinced that his toys are the answer to everything children want. However, the truth is different. When the eccentric toy manufacturer finds out that slime is his biggest competitor, he devises a sinister plan to banish all slime from the world.

The story of ‘The Great Slime Movie’ is nothing more than the blueprint for children’s films: on the one hand you have a brave and resourceful child, on the other the megalomaniac bad guy, who sees his plans thwarted by that child. The characters make the film somewhat palatable, Sarah Nauta nicely plays the role of Vesper, Duff’s ambitious assistant. Géza Weisz is having a great time, but his character is too one-dimensional to impress. Bibi, however, is one lump of energy and brightens up the entire film with her sparkling eyes and mischievous smile. It’s not hard to imagine why she has such a loyal following as a vlogger. ‘The great slime film’ is ideal viewing food for the target group; not too long playing time, bright colors, recognizable situations and a villain who is taught a lesson.