Sing (2016) Revisit: A Singing Competition Full of Money, Talent, and Emotion
Title: Sing (2016)
Director: Garth Jennings
Release Date: December 21 2016
Get ready to sing along! The movie that we are going to revisit today is the musical animal adventure called Sing (2016)! Sing is one of the two films Illumination released in 2016 along with The Secret Life of Pets. Both of these films were commercially and critically successful. The other film has the higher box office gross, while Sing has the higher critical acclaim, especially when you look at its Rotten Tomatoes score. Because both the first and second films were successful, the CEO of Illumination, Chris Meledandri, confirmed that Sing 3 is in development. Is this singing competition truly worth the $100,000 prize or is it worth nothing?
Summary
After a childhood experience with theater, optimistic koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), with a love for showmanship, plans on opening the greatest high-stakes singing competition in order to revive his beloved theater. The grand prize is supposed to be worth $100,000 for only one contestant to win. Five contestants, from a motherly pig to a timid elephant, officially join the competition. They practice, dream, and do what it takes to sing for the crowd.
Reasons
Just like its title suggests, the soundtrack is the most noteworthy. There is a diverse mix of genres, like pop, rock, jazz, and R&B! Apart from being a variety of catchy music, each song also serves as a powerful tool for each character's narrative. Look at the contestants performing their final song. You can tell that they have both talent and development. This movie is not just about cute animals singing. It has impactful messages. First of all, the main message is to never give up on your biggest dreams. Every character, including Buster Moon, may go through some hardships, but they are not quitting anytime soon. Moreover, it also tells us that you do not have to live up to one's expectations. Not everyone becomes what others want them to be because they have their own unique talents that everyone can appreciate regardless.
Other good things to highlight are the characters and the story. All of the characters were relatable and unique for the audience to connect with. They have unique challenges that are prominent outside of their singing lives and dreams. Even Buster himself has the challenge of saving his theater glory. The familiar premise of a singing competition gets a fresh spin with rich and heartwarming plot points. The plot weaves together a simple singing competition with hardships and motivations. As a result, this makes for a simple story that plays with the audience's heartstrings. To spice things up, the humor is even witty. Get ready to see Buster Moon accidentally facing backwards while standing on the moon! As a bonus thing to point out, the animation is still as good as ever, even if it seems obvious that it is animated by Illumination. The animators still managed to bring in vibrant colors, well-timed choreography, and expressive character movements.
Although the movie is a great surprise, it still has its flaws, thanks to Illumination. As said before, the plot is something we have probably seen before. Think of a whisk blending American Idol with Zootopia. Sometimes, it can also come off as predictable, since it is the familiar underdog story we have seen in many other animated movies. While the anthropomorphic animal concept is an amazing idea, it barely impacts the whole story. If you turned the animals into humans, the film would have been exactly the very same. A few jokes, like the bunnies' audition, can fall flat. The song chosen for that audition is Anaconda, an explicit rap song by Nicki Minaj, which means it is inappropriate for a movie aimed at kids. Thankfully, it is not the primary focus of the movie.
Conclusion
"Sing" proves that it is a singing competition really worth a $100,000 dollars! Even if it may feel familiar at times, it is a great animal movie that aged well. Its messages and soundtrack can leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. Each song can get them to bop along. In addition, viewers of all ages can relate well to the hardships shown in the movie. Singing or theater is not just about being talented and appealing. They are about overcoming your challenges and showing your backstory. Think twice and then you will see that it is more than just a marketable children's toy. In the wise words of Buster Moon, "You know what's great about hitting rock bottom? There's only one way left to go, and that's up!"
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