FEAR KEEPS US ALIVE

Rating: 10/10 (30 July 2018)

This is an animated tale of a teen girl and her natural desire to explore the world and the angst that it causes the father who wants to keep the family safe in a cave...in this case it is not a metaphor. Emma Stone was perfect for our on screen teen girl Eep, complete with her signature crackling voice. The world around them is falling apart and their only chance for survival is to follow the new Guy (Ryan Reynolds) to the objection of Grug (Nicolas Cage).
In spite of what sounds like an adult theme, it is aimed at the kids. The comedy is slapstick and simple jokes. The animals are wildly colorful so as to not be frightening as they chase humans. As an adult I didn't find the film boring, yet its lack of depth allowed me to have frequent breaks and not miss any plot points. Eep provides girls with a positive role model, something that is finally becoming the norm in these animated sagas.
Cloris Leachman played the voice of Gran, most likely because Betty White was too busy playing football. Great film for the kids, so-so for adults.