Slumberland

Come along and join Jason Momoa and Marlow Barkley as they explore the dream world known as Slumberland.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, who is better known for his sharp directorial skills in blockbuster films such as “Constantine” and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 & 2”, Francis Lawrence returns to the big screen with his latest fantasy/adventure, Slumberland.

However, is it worth watching, or will it simply put you to sleep instead? Let’s dive into the review.

A young girl named Nemo, played by Marlow Barkley discovers a secret map to the dreamworld of Slumberland, and with the help of an eccentric outlaw Flip, played by Jason Momoa, they traverse dreams and flee from nightmares, with the hope that she will be able to see her late father again.

Slumberland offers some of the most realistic, breathtaking wide shots of nature that I’ve ever seen, cinematographer Jo Willems has an eye for nature which only amplifies the beauty of this film and its marvelous landscapes, I could not get enough.

The pacing side of the film is a bit slow as thirty minutes into the film I still felt like we had not made any significant progress through the movie but I do understand that most of it were meant to let you understand who Nemo is as a person and how she’s chosen to deal with her late father’s passing.

One thing that stood out for me was the CGI in specific scenes. Though the CGI throughout the entire movie isn’t what I’d regard as terrible, some moments could have been done better, especially scenes when Nemo is underwater.

I still find it strange that her name is Nemo, living in a lighthouse and being raised by a single father, I always see the image of Nemo from “Finding Nemo” from back in 2003 by Disney.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, the message that Slumberland tries to get out, I think is truly beautiful and should be put out there a little more, though I do understand that people are different, we experience things differently and enjoy different things, however, being safe, always inside your room is no way to live.

Living, particularly in this film is about going outside, seeing different things, putting yourself out there and experiencing life, and getting to make memories that one day you can share with your children and friends.

As the answer to Nemo’s father, life is a journey. The lighthouses that will guide you are those closest to you and your dreams. So go out there and live people, but live making wise choices okay?

I’m not encouraging you to make stupid choices then come back and say I told you to, what I am saying is, go out there and memories that you will hold onto for the rest of your life.

So does that mean it’s a great film to watch whenever? No.

Though Slumberland’s trailer promises to take you through numerous wild dreams that will charm you from beginning to end, the truth is that there is only a handful of dreams you get to see and the humor is average at best.

Jason Momoa as Flip is certainly entertaining to see, but what’s even better is that amazing gut he flashes around with him. His character design is outrageous yet intriguing and for whatever reason, has the most positive self-image of himself that you can’t help but chuckle at his responses to situations.

And another thing that I question would be, how is it possible that the dream inside the glass world continued to go on even though the dreamer had woken up. Wasn’t the dream supposed to end at that moment, or does the string have something to do with it?

Overall, Slumberland isn’t what it portrays itself to be but its positive message and the character of Flip carry it along the waves.

Though I may have not fallen in love with the movie, I enjoyed the idea and concept that the film was headed towards. The reveal of a certain character and how that person ended up becoming who they are today was done well enough that even children could figure it out.

I think Slumberland is meant to be watched as a family with children on movie night but watching it alone would feel like a never-ending dream.

So, I give Slumberland a 3.5 out of 5 rating.

Let me know what your thoughts on Slumberland are in the comments section below.

Do you agree or disagree with my review, leave your thoughts below and let’s get the conversation started.

I truly am thankful for you taking the time to read another review from, LSR.