A scene from 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' (Images courtesy of Universal Pictures)

By Margaret Rose Tipton Siytangco

In a world where mermaids are loved and krakens are dreaded, the movie "Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken" throws you for a loop. Not only is our lead a kraken, but she’s also a teenager! With the usual problems of high school life. Without spilling the beans, let’s just say it is a tale of self-discovery with a cute coming-of-age angle.
It is funny and full of wit, easily entertaining with its colorful and whimsical visuals and the music will make you grin. Young kids will love it for what they’ll see but it’s the teens and young adults (and those not-so-young adults who are forever in touch with their youth) that will enjoy the movie most of all. The style is reminiscent of the artwork from Trolls—without the fuzzy wuzziness but with the same endearing storyline. They are both from Dreamworks after all, and the studio’s particular look is evident in the character designs. Where the Trolls had the famous hair to play with, it’s the twisty-twirly tentacles that make this movie unique.

Jane Fonda as kraken queen

And being a Dreamworks film, be on the lookout for another Deamworks character, a particular orange cat, to be exact. He makes a cameo as a stuffed toy in this one. It will also remind you of a certain “twilight” film where the sparkly family tries to pass themselves off as human and in this case, the Gillman family do their utmost best to pass off their blue-tiful selves as normal people. The same goes for it being similar to a certain royal diary movie where the geek finds out she’s a royal. And for those who went through it yourselves, you will definitely remember the awkwardness and sheer panic when you’re asking someone out to prom.

Annie Murphy in 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken'

Voiced by Lana Condor (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before), our teenage kraken Ruby comes to life with all the insecurities, questions, and shyness a classic nerd carries. Her mom Flo, voiced by Toni Collere (Mafia Mama, Connie, and Carla) does her best to sound like the usual mother knows best we all have experienced at some point or other in our life. And the grandmama? (It goes up on the last MAH!) Jane Fonda’s voice brings the right amount of “I know it all” to her character. Over all, it is a very fun movie. A good family movie, it is a splash of fresh water, so to speak. Because even though the coming of age storyline is a ‘tail’ as old as time… the tentacle twist in the tale makes it all new.