Finnik: A Hidden Gem of a Cartoon

I recently found myself at the movies, trying to make the most of a limited selection of new releases. To be honest, there just aren't many movies to choose from right now, so I decided to go for a domestic animated film, Finnik (2022).

The film has a 6+ age rating, which is perfect for families with young kids. I was excited to see what this movie was all about, and I have to say, it didn't disappoint.

What's the movie about? It turns out that every home has its own resident house spirit. This mischievous creature secretly lives among humans and keeps the home fires burning. Meet Finnik, a friendly, cheeky, but slightly troublesome house spirit. He loves to play pranks on his human family, which is why no family stays in his home for long. But everything changes when resourceful young Christina and her parents move in - Finnik's tricks don't work on them! Christina soon befriends Finnik and discovers the secrets of house spirits. Meanwhile, strange and terrifying events start to unfold in their town... Can this brave girl and her house spirit friend team up to solve the mystery and save the day?

When I saw the trailer in the cinema, I initially thought it was an American animation. But it turned out that it was created, drawn, and produced in Russia. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by this, but I was also curious to see how the animation style would turn out.

I've always associated Russian films and animations with a distinct Russian flavor, which is always noticeable. But in this case, the animation style is more universal, which is great! It's something that really drew me in and made me feel like I was watching a movie that could have been made anywhere.

The movie's concept is simple yet complex - a battle between good and evil. And this message is clear to every child, which is why the film's age rating is so low. You could say it's suitable for even the youngest kids, but I'd recommend it for kids aged 10-12. Some of the jokes might not be suitable for little ones, and there are some scenes of mild violence, even towards the villains, which I found a bit confusing, given the 6+ age rating. But overall, I think the movie does a great job of balancing action and humor.

I've always thought that every house has its own guardian, someone who looks out for it and the people living there. It's like the house and the guardian are one. But in the movie, Finnik is a bit of an exception - he's not exactly what you'd call a guardian.

People can't see these guardians, but not every one is as friendly as I'd like to think. Finnik, the house guardian, lives in a house on the outskirts and isn't too fond of people constantly coming and going. He seems to take pleasure in making sure they leave his house, which is quite the opposite of what a guardian should do...

Finnick is a green, cheerful, fluffy creature with a mischievous streak. I have to admit, I found him quite charming! But deep down, he's got a good heart. He's just a bit of a troublemaker, which makes him all the more lovable.

When a family of actors, including their daughter Christina, moves into his house, he decides to do everything in his power to kick them out. But, as you'd expect, things don't go according to plan...

In the end, the story takes a dramatic turn, and Christina and Finnick must work together to save the entire city from disaster. The battle between good and evil is timeless and always relevant – it's something we've seen before, are seeing now, and will see again.

Will the main characters succeed in saving the city and themselves? You'll have to watch the movie to find out!

I won't go into too much detail about the plot, but I did want to mention a few things that stood out to me – both the good and the not-so-good.

What I loved was the vibrant and high-quality animation! It's no wonder I thought it was an international production when I saw the trailer. It's on par with "Toy Story" in terms of animation quality. The house guardians all look like living, breathing plush toys – it's amazing!

I really loved the parents of the main character, Christina. They're a young couple who are into acting and often travel with their daughter to different cities in search of auditions. They're just so cool, you know? I really enjoyed their take on the relationship between a husband and wife, and family dynamics in general. It was great watching them. The music was pretty good too. What didn't impress me was the feeling that the movie was made for a Western audience. Everything from store names to product labels was in English, except for a few instances. Even the city name in the movie where the main characters go sounded off. It was a bit jarring. Some of the jokes in the movie fell flat and were a bit too edgy. Still, I'd give it three stars and recommend it with some caveats. It's worth watching once, but the jokes are pretty predictable.