Throughout cinema history, we have countless examples of children's films brimming with colourful imagination while also talking about deeper themes in a way that moves even the adults. The Twits reminds you of such films, but in a way that makes you wish you were watching those much better films instead. The Twits has all the right ingredients, from the signature whimsical energy of Roald Dahl (whose book of the same name the film is based on) and the endless possibilities of animation. And yet, without the warmth of the fire beneath the pot, the ingredients remain uncooked and sloppy.
Director: Phil Johnston
Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Ryan Lopez, Margo Martindale, Johnny Vegas, Natalie Portman, Emilia Clarke
The Twits follows the eponymous couple (Johnny Vegas, Margo Martindale) and their hate-filled and filth-happy way of life. They dream of opening an amusement park that is powered by the tears of a family of mythical creatures called Muggle-Wumps (Natalie Portman, Timothy Simons). When a group of kind-hearted orphan children named Beesha (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Bubsy (Ryan Lopez) find out about this and plan to rescue the Muggle-Wumps, the ensuing chaos envelops the entire town. This is a story that takes place in a town called Triperot, shows a man's bottom exploding, a character called Mr Napkin being used as a literal napkin, an angry mob carrying an entire building, and a toad that makes you behave the exact opposite of yourself if you lick its toes, and other such fun, whimsical ideas. But, it also has a lot of unfunny toilet humour, lifeless animation, and shallow writing.
A sense of carelessness is present in how the protagonists, Beesha and Bubsy, are written and animated. We empathise with their longing to find a family, but there is nothing much to make them likeable. Beesha has the signature drive (to save closed ones) required of such a protagonist, but she lacks the energy and zest for life that we usually see in such characters. With a central character we sympathise with more than we like, the film relies heavily on its antagonists, The Twits. Unlike most bad guys in a children's story, Mr and Mrs Twit are over designed to perfection and are too hateable for the story to rely on. Most of the fun moments arrive when the Twits are onscreen. While they're not actively thwarting Twits' plans, all we get of Beesha and her motley crew of friends and magical creatures are familiar 'bonding moments', unearned monologues about learning to love oneself, and the unsubtle commentary on the power of empathy.
It is perhaps unwise to criticise a children's film for being too much of a children's film. Maybe it's okay for a story about orphan kids and magical creatures teaming up against evil amusement park owners to be unsubtle with its message about self-love, family, and empathy. However, the problem with The Twits is that it seems to stick too rigidly to its definition of a children's film that it forgets to have fun with itself. The apparent lack of joy is felt in every moment that fails to capture its intended emotion. Even with the right amount of whimsy, vibrant imagination, innocence, and childlike wonder typical of a classic children's adventure, The Twits fails to leave a mark on your memory. Ironically, this might also be one of the few good things about the film.