The One and Only Ivan – Decent But Forgettable Sentimentality (Early Review)

Once again, we find another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the lead of this past June’s Artemis Fowl, The One and Only Ivan is another Disney film whose original theatrical release date was pulled in favor of their Disney+ streaming platform. Regarding the former, that decision arguably turned out to be in its favor as it was essentially a dump after a long history of issues. However, this choice seemed to be more of a mercy dump that was not necessarily indicative of the film’s quality though compared to past Disney live-action efforts, this one doesn’t particularly stand out. For better or worse, it’s simply more of the same which in the end may work fine in the moment to distract younger viewers but doesn’t bring anything new to the table and is likely to have very little staying power not too long after its credits roll. While the same story and sentimentality is more or less there, it’s just not nearly as impactful this time around after seeing it done countless times before, not that it wasn’t here.

Based on a true story and a book of the same name by Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan follows Ivan (Rockwell), a 400-pound silverback gorilla who lives in a habitat in a shopping mall circus along with other animals run by a man named Mack (Cranston). The two share a close relationship as Mack saved him from the jungle at a very young age and the two have been together ever since. Ivan was the main attraction of Mack’s circus, ferociously entertaining onlookers. carving a comfortable position for himself while also making a decent living for him and all the other animals for which many have only known captivity for most of their lives, including Stella the elephant (Jolie) and Bob the dog (Danny DeVito) among others. His performance in the circus was unlike who he really was as he was rather a gentle soul. Suffice it to say that the mood changed once Mack and the circus were faced with hard times. That adversity made everyone more desperate, giving Ivan the chance to take a deeper look at himself, including where he came from and what he wanted at that stage of his life.

It’s just a shame that The One and Only Ivan couldn’t approach Ivan’s story with any kind of depth. His upbringing certainly wasn’t an easy one as the point of the plot appeared to be to contrast his journey with that of the circus’ newest arrival and plot device, a baby elephant named Ruby (Brooklynn Prince). Her youthfully naive perspective affected Ivan on a deep level as the two formed a heartwarming bond as a big brother and little sister relationship. Though the conclusion may be inevitable, it wasn’t without its issues beyond the obvious ones. While they are plainly there, the fact that this is a children’s film could be the reason for the hesitancy to further explore what are definitely darker themes. Again, many younger viewers are likely to overlook this but it’s hard not to think about it over the course of the film as it arguably glamorizes these animals’ experiences a little too much. However, they are cute and that cuteness will be a draw if not an excuse to sell even more merchandise (assuming the film does well).

Being Disney’s first live-action/animation hybrid film. The One and Only Ivan is a step in the right direction, technologically-speaking. The sheer level of detail in the look of the CGI animal characters and their respective animation were quite something to behold. Ultimately, it would not have mattered nearly as much if not for the performances. Though the majority of the writing was on the mediocre side, the performances across the board, especially the voice acting, helped to breathe some life into what easily could have been a paint-by-numbers sentimental children’s film. It still is to a certain degree but it is still somewhat compelling to watch and that begins with Rockwell’s performance as the titular gorilla. He gives Ivan some humanity and a level of vulnerability that allows viewers to connect with him on a deeper level. Meanwhile, Cranston does his best with Mack, a character that was disappointingly thin.

At the end of the day, The One and Only Ivan will surely appeal to diehard Disney fans as others will find the same experience from the countless other Disney sentimental live action features.

still courtesy of Disney

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.