Pixar has returned with “Turning Red,” and it feels like a shift for the studio behind popular series such as "Toy Story" and “Cars.” The movie takes place in 1990s Toronto, and follows Mei (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), an eighth grader who sees herself as grown-up at thirteen. She’s dedicated to schoolwork when she isn't assisting her family with their tour business at a local Temple or spending time with friends. Things change dramatically when a particularly embarrassing experience triggers Mei to transform into a giant Red Panda. Panicked, she tries to keep this secret from everyone, and her overprotective mother assumes it’s simply puberty and hormonal changes. Mei is desperate to return to normal and discovers that keeping calm helps control the panda form. However, managing this proves challenging, and she learns that the transformation is due to a family history but there's a way to break the cycle during an upcoming Lunar ceremony. Chaos ensues as Mei struggles with her new reality and must figure out how to cope with everything happening while making important choices about her life and future. I find it difficult to review “Turning Red” because I haven’t experienced being a teenage girl dealing with puberty, hormones, and the related issues. Nevertheless, the film seems to struggle in finding its footing as it incorporates Mei's panda adventures without generating consistent humor or charm, instead emphasizing teen angst, puberty-related problems, and growing up. The movie doesn’t have the engaging characters, appeal, and warmth that have defined many Pixar films, and it's surprising that a studio capable of creating emotional depth in animated shorts couldn’t fully connect with this feature. There were some funny moments, but overall the film was rather uninspired and predictable. The choice to release “Turning Red” directly on Disney+, similar to what happened with "Soul" and "Luca," caused some debate, but I think it was ultimately the right decision because it’s unlikely that many people will go to theaters to see it beyond its initial run. It's a brave move for the studio, but one that lacks the humor and charm of previous efforts since not everyone wants to watch an entire movie about teenage angst, changing bodies, and the emotional turmoil that comes with them. However, the intended audience is likely to relate to the characters, and it will be interesting to see how people react to the film over time. 3 stars out of 5 “Turning Red” arrives on Disney+ on March 11th.

Source on TMDB