Flora & Ulysses Spoiler-Free Movie Review
Superheroes come in all shapes and sizes
Like many, I love superheroes and superhero movies. I love how superhero movies take your imagination to new heights. It takes you out of the real world for a moment to a fantasy world where people have superpowers you wish you had. What happens though when you take a superhero and put them in the real world, and then make that superhero a squirrel? You get Flora & Ulysses. I had a chance to screen Flora & Ulysses and the movie surprised me. Flora & Ulysses arrives on Disney+ on February 19th. Here is my spoiler-free review!
My Review
Flora & Ulysses is the cutest dang superhero movie I have seen. At first, I was unsure about the movie because the concept of a squirrel as a superhero seemed odd, but the movie proved me wrong. (The movie is actually a great way to introduce comic books and superheroes to kids!) I mean a squirrel is one of the last animals I would ever think could be a superhero. Haha! But it works, and I love that Ulysses is not your run-of-the-mill superhero. Yes, he might have some superpowers, but his biggest superpower is bringing people together and helping people to believe in themselves again. This is a huge superpower because it is something everyone has the ability to do.
But what about the other half of Flora & Ulysses? Flora is a very interesting character. She is a kid that loves comic books more than anything else and wishes superheroes were real. Flora’s character is so relatable in the movie. She has labeled herself a cynic and I think that is because her parent’s separation hit her hard. Matilda Lawler does such a great job portraying Flora who is wise beyond her years and because of this is one of the movie’s standout actors. Other standout actors for me are Ben Schwartz as Flora’s father George Buckman, and Benjamin Evans Ainsworth as William Spiver. I love Ben Schwartz and he just brings a realness to his role as Flora’s dad and everything that character is going through. Benjamin Evans Ainsworth brought comedic relief and is the sidekick/best friend that everyone needs.
My Rating/Ok for kids?
So, how would I rate Flora & Ulysses? A big factor I consider when I review/rate movies is if I would watch the movie multiples times, and my family and I will be watching Flora & Ulysses again. I give Flora & Ulysses an A+. My family and I absolutely loved everything about the movie, and it was exactly the right kind of feel-good movie my family needed right now. My kids laughed out loud and spent the whole movie rooting for Ulysses. Squirrels will forever be superheroes in our house from now on. I will say, while Flora & Ulysses is a family-friendly film there is a little bit of violence in the film and a trigger-happy animal control agent, but that’s about it.
Flora & Ulysses hit’s Disney+ on 2/19. If you watch it I would love to know your thoughts!
Movie Synopsis
Disney’s “Flora & Ulysses” is a delightful comedy-adventure based on the Newbery Award-winning book about 10-year old Flora, an avid comic book fan and a self-avowed cynic, whose parents have recently separated. After rescuing a squirrel she names Ulysses, Flora is amazed to discover he possesses unique superhero powers which take them on an adventure of humorous complications that ultimately change Flora’s life–and her outlook–forever.
