Klaus Review

Klaus

Release Date: 15th November 2019 - Australia (Netflix)

Production Companies

The SPA Studios

Aniventure

Atresmedia Cine

Netflix Animation

Distribution

Netflix (Worldwide)

Genre: Animation/Family/

Comedy

Rating: G

Runtime: 97 minutes

Budget: $40,000,000

Plot Summary
A story tells the origins of Christmas. Jesper, a disgraced student of the Postal Academy, gets sent to a desolate frozen island where no one sends any letters. He is stuck in a hostile environment but finds redemption upon meeting a lonely carpenter named Klaus,

who gives Jesper a purpose

and delivers toys to the

surrounding people.

Voice Cast

Jason Schwartzman - Jesper

J.K. Simmons - Klaus

Rashida Jones - Alva

Joan Cusack - Mrs. Krum

Will Sasso - Mr. Elingboe

Norm MacDonald - Mogens

Neda Margrethe Labba - Márgu

Sergio Pablos - Pumpkin/Olaf

Crew

Original Story/Screenplay/

Producer/Director - Sergio Pablos

Co-Director - Carlos Martinez López

Screenplay - Zach Lewis and Jim Mahoney

Executive Producer - Warren Franklin

Producers - Gustavo Ferrada,

Mercedes Gamero, Jinko Gotoh,

Mikel Lejarza, Marisa Roman

and Matthew Teevan
Creative Consultant/Story

Artist - Olivier Clert
Creative Consultants - Steven

Pierre Gordon and Alex Orrelle
Production Designers - Szymon Biernacki and Marcin Jakubowski
Lead Character Designer -

Torsten Schrank

Additional Character Design - Marta Andreeva, Jorge A. Capote, Daniel Fernandez Casas and Fernando Moro

Head of Story - Edgar Martins

Layout Supervisors - Armen Melkinian and Jean-Luc Serrano
Background Supervisor -

Gabriel Gomez

Animation Supervisor: "Krums &

Ellingboes" - Charlie Bonifacio
Animation Supervisor: "Klaus" - Victor Ens
Animation Supervisor: "Alva" -

Sergio Martins
Animation Supervisor: "Margu" -

Slaven Reese
Animation Supervisor:

"Jesper" - Yoshimichi Tamura

Animation Supervisor: "Mogens" - Matt Williames

3D Animation Supervisor - David Lamas
CG Supervisors - Fernando Jareigo and

Gabriel G. Roy
Film Editor - Pablo Garcia Revert

Supervising Sound Editor/Re-Recording

Mixer/Sound Designer - Gabriel Gutiérrez

Re-Recording Mixer - Nicolas de Poulpiquet
Music - Alfonso G. Aguilar

Awards

2020 Academy Awards

Best Animated Feature - Sergio Pablos,

Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Roman (Nominated)

Review

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas, everyone! You probably did not watch KLAUS, as the movie came out earlier in 2019 before the holidays and is only available on Netflix. The film recaptures the glory days of 2D animation, honouring the likes of Disney. The minimalist animation format (as opposed to excessive CGI) has not been used in films for a long time in the wake of computer-animated movies that preceded it. KLAUS is genuinely hilarious and heartfelt in its plot, and there's no denying this movie is becoming a holiday classic.

It marks the directorial debut of animator Sergio Pablos, who once worked for Disney and is one of the creative minds behind Despicable Me. Pablos and his studio create a movie that breathes new life by giving a distinguished look to a timeless myth. The animation is well-drawn and beautiful, using lighting and texture to create a dimensional depth, making it seem like a proper 3D animated feature. Similar to how Sony made Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but did the opposite.

Jason Schwartzman was fine for the role of a selfish postman who winds up helping to bring joy in a hostile environment in the North. J.K. Simmons is notable for playing gruff and detestable characters, yet he goes against that type when he voices a lonely woodsman who would become known as Santa Claus. Rashida Jones was terrific as the schoolteacher. Norm MacDonald plays the ferryman Mogens, who is witty and sarcastic.

KLAUS has echoed the past Christmas movies and is a magical holiday movie that anyone will never forget. I hope more animated films have followed the same pattern as KLAUS did to bring back the same old-fashioned animation style.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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