Under The Boardwalk

We're in the frosty season and lots of movies and TV shows that relates to the season are scattered every where. For a change, I had to go for something that takes my mind back to summer.

Summer holds a great significance in the lives of many and this is evident in this animation where even crabs find summer to be delightful. In summer, a lot of people find love, get heart broken, chase dreams and all whatnot.

Directed by David Soren, and set under the boardwalk of the beautiful city, New Jersey, Armen, a land crab townie has to conquer his fears and leave his shell to enjoy summer just as everyone else. His roommate Anemone, an organism that came with his shell, and his friends do their best to help Armen enjoy summer but Armen is reluctant due to holding on to fear of how his parents died in a storm leaving him only with a shell and the organism, whom he referred to as room mate. However, change was bound to happen when Armen finally liked a sea crab called Ramona.

The land crabs were known to host the sea crabs on their land every summer but they never got along as there has always been intense rivalry between them.

When Armens friends drag him to the club owned by his uncle, they get in a fight with a rude sea crab, Mako, when Armen accidentally bumped into Ramona. While the fight went on, Armen leaves the scene to the seaside to wallow in melancholy. Mako and his friends later find him and hassle him but Ramona intervenes. In the process, Armen and Ramona are swept off by a storm and have to battle for survival while dealing with their insecurities and differences.

My Review and Rating:

I love a musical film accompanied with top notch acting, emotions and humor and this one does it well. I was sad for Armen when he opened up about the reason for not wanting to be out there with others basking in the summer sun, dancing in clubs or trying to woo girls with finesse like the rest of his friends. The trauma of losing both parents in a storm made him fear for his life but somehow his fear catches up with him, giving him a chance to let it mar or make him and this made me give the scriptwriter a thumbs up for giving Armen the chance to look his fears in the eye. He experiences the same storm that took his parents from him but in his case, he loses his shell.

I totally enjoyed the suspense accompanied by the conflict. It made me question a lot of things while learning some great life lessons too. The cinematographer did a good job. The colors are striking, the humor wasn't tacky, kept me glued till the film came to a proper ending.

This film is to be viewed by younger viewers under parental guidance. There are some vulgar jokes that aren't suitable for them. All in all, I'd give it a total 3.5/5. Totally recommendable.

PS: if you're a die hard fan of Keke Palmer, her golden voice features in this one🤭.

Images are screenshots.

XOXO ✨