By Kyle Flynn

I did not know what to expect in a film like Junk World. First, the film is a prequel set long before Takahide Hori’s 2017 film Junk Head (A film I have yet to watch, but it is widely available on Tubi, so I plan to soon). Second, this is an animated film selected for the Midnight Madness Program at TIFF, which can always be fun or not, depending on the vibe. 

To my surprise, Junk World knows its audience and knows exactly how to push the limits of the animated world we are engulfed in. The film follows Robin, a robot, who is tasked with restoring the timeline without adverse effects after cultists attempt to research an anomaly causing turmoil to the natural order.

I had so much fun watching Junk World, a blast from start to finish. A story that immediately takes you on a ride within the first few scenes. The story is pretty sure of itself; it’s apparent that the thought that went into building the universe is in the eyes of Hori. This is also somewhat of a fault, as the plot is quite convoluted, although intentionally so, it did become wearying for me as a viewer as the film went on. Early in the story, you are greeted with a plethora of extraordinary moments, all of which make me, as the audience, somewhat forgiving of plot points that bug me. 

The stop-motion is brilliant. The most important part of making this project successful is the weird visual flourish used in the film. The characters’ designs, sets, and sometimes slightly off-putting animation (complementary) are such inspired choices and fill up the movie in incredible ways. My mind immediately returned to Phil Tippet’s stop-motion animated film Mad God from a few years back. Another stop-motion film, slightly less bizarre but more grotesque, that accomplishes what it wants to achieve on a level you just wouldn’t be able to imagine. Finding out that the animation team was primarily comprised of Hori and six artisans only made my appreciation for independent, imaginative filmmakers like him grow. 

Smiling and laughing throughout the movie. Lines that have replayed in my mind countless times over. The voice acting, comprised of many animators, is shockingly strong—an enriching experiment of what can be made with commitment and time. I believe this could reach a very high rating if the story had a clearer throughline throughout its narrative structure. Ultimately, one thing is sure: many filmmakers attempt to achieve a level of whimsy and charm in their filmmaking, but ultimately fall flat. Takahide Hori is not one of them, and never will be one of them. 

4 stars