Back to the Outback

An animated film set in Australia. Maddie is a venomous snake. She lives in a zoo, in the section for dangerous animals, and the visitors are frightened of her. In the same section are a spider, a scorpion, a lizard and a Tasmanian devil. They are all there for the same reason: they look frightening. The star of the zoo is a koala named Pretty Boy. Cute, spoiled and the centre of all attention. Maddie decides to escape. Her aim is to take them all back to the country they came from. The koala ends up on the road with them by accident. The idea is plain: judging by appearance. The narrative states it directly and, being aimed at children, does not hide it. The journey uses the Australian landscape: desert, rock country, towns and rainforest. Isla Fisher, Tim Minchin, Eric Bana, Guy Pearce and Miranda Tapsell are among the voices. It went straight to a streaming service. A pleasant choice for anyone who likes family animation and animal stories. For a viewer looking for depth, the film states its message very plainly and the plot is predictable.