Squirrel superhero steals hearts, and the show, in new Disney+ original

Flora and Ulysses, a family friendly movie adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s Newberry Award-winning novel of the same name, was released onto Disney+ in late February this year. A high energy, comedic adventure featuring a girl and a squirrel, this movie provides a surprising variation on the ‘typical’ Disney movie. 

From disney+ facebok page

The story begins with the comical introduction of Flora (Matilda Lawler, The Block Island Sound), who proclaims herself a cynic at just 10 years old while trying to grapple with the separation of her parents, portrayed by Ben Schwartz and Alyson Hannigan. After saving a newly encountered squirrel which she names Ulysses, Flora takes the rodent home with her and the adventure of Flora and Ulysses begins. Flora is accompanied throughout the movie by a multitude of her favorite superheroes, all products of her father’s unpublished comics, that drive her adventurous spirit. With the discovery that her bushy-tailed friend is able to type on a typewriter, Flora’s interest in his undiscovered superpower abilities takes flight. 

An animal companion is nothing brand new in the Disney scene, but Ulysses and his massive appetite do not fail to make the movie enjoyably comedic. Much like the human audience, Ulysses turns his powers to satisfy his hunger instead of saving the world, which becomes in some instances more destructive than constructive. Of course, this is nothing shy of hilarious, and not just for the intended audience either.

Notably effective in portraying the relationship between a child and an unusual pet, this relationship definitely pulls on the heartstrings during the more dramatic bits of the plot. Despite the energetic pace of the film, scenes such as Flora’s father-daughter relationship are also portrayed well through both the language of the script and the actors speaking the words. The multiple instances of Flora’s toothy smile shining up at her father strengthens the secondary theme of family within the film while still keeping the story silly and vibrant.

With multitudes of colorful and fast-paced scenes, this hour-and-a-half long PG movie is perfect for a family with younger children (or those young at heart) looking for a fun Friday night film. Lawler portrays the cynical Flora perfectly, as the energy she put into Flora’s character keeps the movie bright and energetic the whole way through. For those who prefer movies with slower pacing and more development of characters and relationships, this may not be the right option. This also goes for viewers trying to find a typical Disney movie, as this strays far from the usual storyline of a female protagonist found in the company's canon. 

Compared to traditional Disney works, Flora and Ulysses integrates multiple traits and tendencies of movies past while simultaneously breaking others to create a fun and intriguing story. While characters like the animal control officer and William, Flora’s new neighbor, embody  the typical villain and sidekick archetypes, the movie also breaks away from traditional ideas like gender stereotypes. Flora isn’t portrayed as a typical female protagonist found in Disney films, for the movie instead focuses on her avid love of superheroes and adventurous personality. 

Through multiple flashbacks, Flora and Ulysses addresses the experiences of separating parents from the eyes of a child. As this is still a Disney movie, and Flora’s parents eventually get their happily ever after, the movie manages to explore the emotions a child undergoes when their family begins to change.

Change isn’t the only example of an important lesson in Flora and Ulysses, as there are a plethora of messages woven throughout. Themes such as friendship without discrimination, seen in the way William’s blindness never impedes on Flora’s views of him, are integrated into the storyline, alongside treating others with kindness, hope, the importance of familial love, loss, and more valuable lessons to teach children in the modern age. Another stand-out message was the release of Ulysses back into the forest, which teaches respect for wildlife that often is overlooked and abused in traditional Disney movies. 

Overall, Flora and Ulysses is a surprising production on Disney’s end, and hopefully a model for the future modern children’s movies to come. The film weaves both traditional antics found in the typical comedic family film and a recognition of newer themes that children will definitely benefit from absorbing as time goes on. 

By Paige Helfrich

Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue 6

March 25, 2021