Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie Review: This high-octane action driven animated world lacks originality

2.5/5

With nothing new to offer to the viewers from numerous creative palettes, the makers of Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie should sit back on their chairs and think about what the need was of wrapping up an animated superhero series of the same name into a Netflix movie.

Story

The story chronicles the lives of two ordinary young Parisian teenagers, named Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, who get transformed into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir, respectively, to protect the city of Paris from supervillains. The story begins with Marinette realizing that she isn’t an ordinary human being and has been blessed with ‘miraculous’ superpowers stored in a gem. After making use of the magical gem, Marinette transforms into a superhero and dons the attire of a ladybug (and hence gets the superhero name Ladybug).

Feeling irritated to know about the fact, she tries to find out what is the reason behind a force choosing her to be a superhero. During her journey, she meets Adrien Agreste, who too is on a mission to safeguard the city from evil forces. Interestingly, just like Marinette, Adrien too is blessed with a magical gem with which she can transform into a Cat Noir – another superhero who appears like a stylish black and white cat with magical powers.

Together, Ladybug and Cat Noir are on a mission to protect the city from supervillain, Hawk Moth – who is on his way to claim Ladybug and Cat Noir's gems and use it as a means to destroy the world.

Review

Focusing on the positives first, this movie clearly emphasizes on the popular motivational phrase, ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’ This is the motto with which this entire animated movie is driven on Netflix. It can be viewed by children and surely tries to entertain audiences with its upbeat music.

Marinette’s life transformation – from being an ordinary college going girl to becoming a superhero – can click well with audiences. However, the plotline is infused with numerous problems and if you are a movie buff, you can’t ignore it!

The plotline of the movie has numerous references from the Harry Potter series. For example, just like Harry Potter (a character in the Harry Potter series) was made to realize he is the ‘Chosen One’ who can kill the evil, Marinette, too, is made to swallow the fact that she is the ‘Chosen One’, who along with Cat Noir, has the ability to wipe away evil powers.

Next up in line is a meeting between Marinette and Adrien to meet at the top floor of a clock tower wherein they narrowly escape an attack by a magical beast with immense stupidity. The characteristics of this beast appear strikingly similar to a magical beast called as ‘Troll’ in the 2001 movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Also, the supervillain, Hawk Moth is described in the movie as “the most feared. He is the one transforming all the hate and anger into horrible creatures.” This character, too, draws similarities from Lord Voldemort’s character from the Harry Potter series. In the Harry Potter series, Lord Voldemort was shown an evil magical being who also created an army of magical “Death Eaters”.

Not only this but Ladybug and Cat Noir’s mode of commuting from one place to another is almost similar to Spiderman. If you are a fan of the Spiderman series, you know that the animated superhero, Spiderman, moves through the city effortlessly (mostly) by shooting his web out to attach onto high points of buildings/concrete structures and swinging repeatedly.

Thus, the movie is very bland and boring to watch with nothing new in it. The movie makers should have paused for a second and given it a thought while creating this movie for children. It is very unlikely that those who can afford Netflix and are eligible to watch content on it are not aware of the basics of the Harry Potter and Spiderman series.

Verdict

If you are a parent and wish to chill with your toddlers or school-going children, then you can watch this entertainer. Though the storyline is basic and boring, it can surely be given a one-time watch.

Also Read: Kaalkoot Review: A tepid small-town thriller sans distinctiveness