What I’ve been Watching

Flow is a 2024 animated feature from Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, who co-wrote the screenplay with Matiss Kaza.

The story follows Cat through what can only be assumed is set in some variation of a post-apocalyptic world, though not in the way that those settings are typically depicted. No signs of war or famine, nonetheless, people seem to have simply disappeared from the world.

The story opens on Cat, staring into the still water in a forest, a seemingly odd place for there to be standing water. After an exciting incident, Cat retreats to what we surmise to have been his home Before; carvings of cats dot the landscape around the house and Cat seems very comfortable, even purring as it snuggles up on an unmade bed. Cat wakes up to water encroaching on its home though, forcing it to leave. The water continues to rise, however, and Cat seems to be in dire straits until a boat comes by, piloted by a capybara.

Other animals join the party and the story becomes one of mutual survival and empathy and understanding. In the hands of another studio, the animals might start talking on their shared journey as they start to “understand” each other. I was quite relieved that nothing so trite happened.

In the absence of dialogue, the story and characterizations are almost wholly left up to the audience. I felt like there was so much to unpack in this story, one should be able to watch it multiple times and only deepen their investment in the story and characters, as well as peel back the meaning of it. Or, at least, what you want it to mean. Like so many other stories, what you think the story means says more about you than about the story.

The animation is quite good on the background and especially the water, but is a little more simplistic on the characters. That makes sense for a number of reasons. The simplicity of the character designs aren’t distracting and their movements are not jerky. However, the real star of the show is the water, which is beautifully animated and looks almost real.

One thing to note, and it’s something I hadn’t taken into consideration when walking into the movie: because Cat makes real cat sounds, including sounds of distress, watching this movie was more upsetting than I was prepared for. I love all animals, but I am a cat person through and through and hearing Cat’s fearful meows hit me harder than I was ready for. So if you have a similar affinity, you should brace yourself a bit.

I definitely recommend this movie and even multiple viewings. I also recommend seeing it on the big screen at least once, if you can.