A Brutal Retro Adult Animation

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Spine of Night
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Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 1h 33m
Director(s): Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King
Writer(s): Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King
Cast: Richard E. Grant, Lucy Lawless, Patton Oswalt, Betty Gabriel, Joe Manganiello
Where To Watch: arrives on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital 24 October 24, 2022, from Acorn Media International

RAVING REVIEW: A unique experience, especially within the realm of animation. This was more of a raw adult western than anything else.

Sometimes a film steals a frame of the past to create a new experience. When the movie starts, you’ll instantly be whisked back to the rotoscoped animations of the 80s; however, they’re imposed on gorgeous modern animated backgrounds. The experience can be a little jarring and almost hypnotic simultaneously. Don’t be mistaken; this isn’t your family-friendly, wholesome animation. There’s blood, violence, and even tasteful nudity all within this shell of this wonderland of “heroes from different eras and cultures battling against a malevolent force.”

The film took seven years to make, with only four animators working at any given time, but from a visual standpoint, it was worth it. At first, I was taken aback by the mix of animation styles; while I probably wouldn’t have done the same, I can’t knock the film for the effort. This film knew its target audience and went full force without looking back. If you like fantasy epics with wizards, barbarians, gods, and over-the-top violence, this may be just what you’ve been looking for.

I’ve read multiple reviews that generally agree across the board; this will either be something you love or hate. I don’t think there’s much room for a middle ground when working with this style and story.

I have to point out their voice cast for this, specifically Patton Oswalt; the second you hear him, he’s instantly identifiable. Beyond that, they have Lucy Lawless (Xena) herself, which I didn’t pick up on immediately, but once I realized who it was, I couldn’t think of a better choice. The film is very much styled after the XENA/CONAN style, and you can feel the strength, even in the animation delivery voice-over.

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