The Emoji Movie: A Feature-Length Ad for Smartphone Apps
A thinly veiled, hour-and-a-half commercial for popular smartphone apps, disguised as a comedic cartoon.
In the smartphone of a high school student named Alex, there exists Textopolis, a bustling city inhabited by emojis. Each emoji boasts a unique appearance and is expected to remain true to their designated expression. Gene, for example, is born a “Meh” emoji and is therefore expected to maintain a perpetually indifferent smile. However, Gene feels confined by his predetermined role. When he experiences genuine emotions, they manifest on his face. This volatile “inconsistency” irritates his peers and renders him unsuitable for his intended function in Alex’s text messages. Consequently, Gene becomes a hunted outcast, leading him to embark on a journey outside Textopolis in search of a hacker who can reprogram him and suppress his emotional outbursts.
.jpg)
The film’s concept originated with director Tony Leondis during a brainstorming session when he received a text message containing an emoji.
Remember the pervasive product placement in “Night Watch”? While irritating, it was somewhat understandable. Producing a special effects-laden blockbuster in Russia required significant funding, necessitating a relentless pursuit of revenue streams. Although the film suffered as a result, without those advertising dollars, it might never have been made, depriving us of a landmark in post-Soviet cinema.
.jpg)
“The Emoji Movie” is similarly saturated with advertising, but Sony Pictures Animation has no such excuse. They cannot claim that the film’s constant mentions and demonstrations of popular apps were necessary to finance a unique and memorable cinematic experience. “The Emoji Movie” isn’t advertising in service of art; it’s advertising for the sake of advertising.
.jpg)
In the original version, the leading dancer from the dance app is voiced by pop star Christina Aguilera.
Essentially, it’s a 90-minute commercial where the plot and characters serve solely to justify the transition from one app to another. These are all real applications, presented in the most favorable and flattering light. For example, the film emphasizes the engaging nature of the games and the security of the work-related apps (“Viruses can’t get in here!”).
.jpg)
Uninspired Imitation
In other respects, “The Emoji Movie” consists of blatant rip-offs from “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Inside Out,” and “The Lego Movie.” However, these imitations are shallow and weak, lacking the brilliance of the originals. Compare, for instance, the colorfulness of Ralph to the blandness of Gene, or the depth of the girl’s emotions in “Inside Out” to the “torment” of Alex, who struggles to choose the right emoji to express his interest in a classmate.
.jpg)
Redeeming Qualities?
Does “The Emoji Movie” have any redeeming qualities? Yes, skill cannot be denied – the film’s graphics are vibrant and appealing, and the animation is competent. However, the film’s jokes only elicit laughter or even a broad smile a few times throughout its duration. Furthermore, the film vies for the top spot in the number of toilet humor gags (one of the characters is a “poop” emoji), which in itself makes one want to reformat one’s long-term memory after viewing. The film’s moral, meanwhile, is that it’s okay to be “different” if you can capitalize on your uniqueness and turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Is such a moral appropriate for a children’s film? That’s a big question…
Everything else is in the same vein. Annoying and uninteresting characters, banal villains, uninspired adventures… And illogical oddities, such as the fact that the humans in the film are animated, while the internet videos are the same as in our world, with real people and animals. Did the studio decide to save money on drawing adorable cat videos? Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sony Pictures Animation skimped on the script!