Reviews

Move over Jurassic Park and Godzilla, there’s a new monster movie in town.

Sketch, written and directed by Seth Worley, is an imaginative, fun and playful film that cleverly blends multiple genres such as comedy, fantasy, family drama, monster horror and adventure.

The film revolves around the Wyatts, who are still adjusting to their new lives following the death of the family matriarch.

While father Taylor (Tony Hale) and son Jack (Kue Lawrence) seem to be dealing with their grief on the surface, daughter Amber (Bianca Belle) is more open about her feelings.

An avid artist, Amber expresses her emotions in her sketchbook, drawing some dark and concerning creatures and scenes alongside her earlier, happier work.

One day, her sketchbook falls into a mysterious pond and the monsters in her drawings come to life, wreaking chaos on the town.

Sketch is an entertaining movie with plenty of laughs, heart and creatures of all different shapes, sizes and textures, from the arachnid eyeballs named eyeders to a towering blue monster with googly eyes.

While the film is fun for all the family, younger children may not be keen when it leans harder into the horror genre towards the end and introduces a menacing character. There is a very cool action setpiece involving this creature but some may find it terrifying.

There’s more to Sketch than a monster spectacle, as it delivers an important message about grief and feeling your emotions.

It teaches kids that there are many different ways to process grief, and it’s always better to express your feelings than to keep them buried deep.

Hale is no stranger to playing silly comedy characters in children’s movies, having previously starred in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip and Clifford the Big Red Dog, but Sketch gives him the opportunity to play other notes too.

Taylor has light-hearted moments, but he also grounds the chaos as the grieving father and concerned parent. D’Arcy Carden brings a similar vibe as his worried sister Liz, but Belle is the revelation as a young actor with a surprising emotional depth and maturity.

Sketch has flown under the radar, which is a shame because it’s an absolute delight!

In cinemas from Friday 24th October.

By Hannah Wales.

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