The Inventor (2023)

User Review

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  ScreenZealots

  6 / 10

  “The Inventor” is a very strange animated film. I’m not quite sure the intended target audience for this (it feels very French, so perhaps it’s made for European children with a more sophisticated worldview than your average American kid), because it tackles intellectual things like the Catholic Church’s war on curiosity as well as the toughest question of all: “what is the meaning of life?” One thing is for certain: this smart, shrewd film is going to spark a lot of discussion.
  
  Set in Rome in 1516, the story follows the life of famed inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci (voice of Stephen Fry) and the hurdles he faces from the Pope (voice of Matt Berry), a warmonger who is the enemy of knowledge and curiosity (accurate). Seeking a place he can work in peace, da Vinci leaves Italy to join the French court, where he has free reign to try out new inventions like a flying machine and carry out grand experiments to study the human body. With the equally curious Princess Marguerite (voice of Daisy Ridley) by his side, Leonardo celebrates his creative and inquisitive freedom.
  
  The story has an educational feel that isn’t dry, and the smart digs at religion may sail over the heads of most children. There isn’t a lot here that will appeal to kids, and I can’t see anyone with a short attention span sitting still long enough to absorb the messaging.
  
  There is a lot of talk about architecture, religion, and the quest to build the ideal city. In between, there are some goofy guards to add comic relief to the more macabre visuals of corpses and skeletons. There are a few musical interludes featuring original songs that just aren’t enjoyable. In other words, this is an animated film that’s about the visuals far more than the story.
  
  Utilizing a highly stylized blend of stop-motion puppetry and 2D hand drawn animation, this historical film has a charming look and feel. The characters are adorable, and it’s great looking in all respects. The animation is absolutely lovely.
  
  I didn’t love “The Inventor,” but it’s such a curious specimen of cinema that I also find it unforgettable. The bottom line is that this is a passion project for the director, catnip for history professors, and will delight fans of the animation genre.
  
  By: Louisa Moore / Screen Zealots

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