Netflix And Chill: Robin Robin (2021)

I was really looking forward to seeing Robin Robin, and even the first announcement had me excited. A Christmas film from Aardman Animation dropping straight on to Netflix. Sign me up. Unfortunately, I failed to realise that this is a short film. It only lasts about 32 minutes, and I mention that here to help anyone else avoid my disappointment. 

Robin Robin is, unsurprisingly, the tale of a robin (Bronte Carmichael). Unlike other robins, however, this little bird has been raised by a family of mice. The mice try to teach Robin how to stealthily pinch leftover nibbles from human households, but Robin is far from stealthy. That doesn’t stop her from trying again and again, which puts her in the path of a dangerous cat (Gillian Anderson) and has her befriending a magpie (Richard E. Grant).

Let’s get the disappointment out of the way first. No, I am not once again on about the short runtime. While the animation style and detailing here are still quite delightful, they don’t feel up to the usual high standard that we have come to expect from Aardman. That may well be due to my attachment to their other, well-known, creations, but it was a disappointment nonetheless.

The next disappointment was the realisation that this short film also features a few depressingly unenergetic songs interspersed throughout. I enjoy an animated film that also features some musical moments, as many of them do, but nothing here felt tuneful or worthwhile, sadly.

The voice cast works quite well, with highlights being Grant and Anderson, the latter adding an appropriate hint of her Thatcher portrayal to her vocal performance. Carmichael may not be a familiar personality, but her voice works perfectly for a central character who is typically innocent and optimistic for this kind of fare.

Co-directed by Daniel Ojari and Michael Please (who both co-wrote the film with Sam Morrison), I don't want people to think that my own negative comments outweigh the positives. Although not to my preferred taste, the animation is cute and fluffy, the pacing is as brisk as you'd expect, and the short runtime makes it a perfect choice if you're looking for something to keep younger viewers seasonally entertained for a short time.

The very best of Aardman Animation is up there with the very best of animation, full stop. The fact that Robin Robin doesn't rival their best output isn't really a big surprise. It's just a shame that it sometimes didn't feel even close to their usual high standard.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.

It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA

Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews