The Twits (2025)

After thrillers, stunning animated films have my heart. But after watching Moana and the likes of Moana, I haven’t really come across any animated film that’s as colorful and engaging, so I stopped looking. Then one lazy afternoon, this movie just popped up on my feed while I was searching for something decent to watch, and it looked like it might be worthwhile. Thankfully, its first few minutes of runtime didn’t suck.

So here’s the gist about this film, might spoil it a little though.

The Twits is a wild, wonderfully weird animated film based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name. It follows Mr. and Mrs. Twit, two absolutely nasty beings who own this chaotic amusement park called Twitlandia. Everything about them is exaggerated, from their mannerisms, pranks to even their hygiene (or complete lack of it). The setup is bonkers in a good way, full of pranks, weird animals and a town that’s just a little too crazy. Conflict arose when the Twits’ so called amusement park was shut down. In retaliation, they decided to mess the whole town up but Beesha and Bubsy will not let that happen.

Now, what really had me hooked were the colors and the magic, and of course the kids. The animation is stunning. It’s full of loud neons, earthy tones and detailed textures that help make the grimiest scenes feel alive. It also maintains its oddity and I think that’s what gives it personality. Then there’s Beesha, the twelve-year-old orphaned heroine voiced by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. She’s the heart of this film. A twelve-year-old taking on so much responsibility, bottling up her emotions, and still managing to protect her friends like a mom would. It’s heartbreaking that she has to be that strong so young, but it’s also what makes her admirable.

Also, the friendships in the film are sweet and real. Beesha and her buddy Bubsy (and the magical Muggle-Wump family) have this camaraderie that made me root for them big time because in a movie filled with such mean-spirited Twits, they needed the kindness to outshine the evil, note that evil prevails sometimes anyway. Lol.

If I should drop my subjectivity, this film isn’t all sunshine and smiles. There are parts that could be a little much for younger viewers. The Twits’ treatment of animals, for instance, is dark and I found it disturbing. It’s an exaggerated, cartoonish cruelty, but still something that might upset sensitive viewers. Plus, the film has that creepy undertone that gives it sort of a fun edge, but twisted still. It’s just a blend of the weird and the wonderful.

As for pacing, the first half flies by. The energy is a little infectious and the humor hits more often than not. Toward the end though, it slows a bit, like it’s stretching itself to meet a runtime. Still, the kindness, humor and sheer visual creativity helps make up for it.

I will rate it a ⅗.

About recommendation, I will only recommend to those who love colorful, offbeat animated films that don’t play it safe. Just a heads-up though, if you’re squeamish about animal cruelty or dislike creepy humor, you might want to tread carefully. Otherwise, it’s a fun, quirky film.

PS: I haven’t read the book but I’ve come across it once or twice. It just didn’t strike my fancy. Afterall, it’s juvenile literature.