If you had told me the plot of Flow before I watched it, I would have assumed it was just another light-hearted family film about animals learning the value of community. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. While Flow borrows some familiar story beats, it’s one of the most original and unique films I’ve seen in years.
The animation is breathtaking, and the world is beautifully crafted. Instead of giving its characters human voices or expressions, Flow portrays its animals as they truly are—moving and communicating in ways that feel entirely authentic. Their sounds and behaviours are captured with incredible detail; it’s clear the filmmakers studied real animals to bring them to life with remarkable accuracy.
Beyond its visual beauty, Flow also tackles themes such as companionship, loss, and the impact of environmental destruction—all without a single word spoken. It really showcases how effective visual storytelling can be. This approach also allows each viewer to experience the film differently, resulting in countless unique and personal interpretations.
Flow stands as a major achievement in independent animation and one of the most inspiring films I’ve seen in recent years. It was created using a free software on a next-to-nothing budget—a testament to what can be accomplished with just passion and a clear vision. I definitely plan to watch Gints Zilbalodis’s previous films, and I’m very excited to see what he does next. Flow is a wonderful film and deserves every bit of the recognition it has received.
Review by Jacob Wolfe
Wolfe At The Movies 
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