NORM OF THE NORTH

US, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Bill Nighy, Ken Jeong, Loretta Devine, Colm Meaney, Gabriel Iglesias, Salome Jens.
Directed by Trevor Wall.

This is a family oriented animated film, set in the Arctic and then in New York City, Norm, a polar bear, the hero of the action.

The film as a varied voice cast with Rob Schneider as Norm, Colm Meaney as his grandfather, with Bill Nighy as a wise bird, Heather Graham as a business bear.

There are playful scenes in the Arctic with bears and seals but also with the tourists coming in and a developer, voiced by Ken Jeong, unscrupulous about his methods – which leads to Norm going to New York City, doing auditions, becoming the centre of a campaign but wanting to return to the Arctic, find his grandfather – and then becoming king of the Arctic, marrying and having a number of cubs.

Undemanding in one way – but, for younger audiences, a film about the environment.

1. A family film? American audiences? World audiences? The focus on ecology?

2. The animation, style, characters, layouts, voices, musical score?

3. The Arctic, the grandfather and his attitudes? Norm and his role? The gift of speaking to humans?

4. Socrates, the bird, wise? Elizabeth, the bear, her love?

5. Mr Green, entrepreneur, his buildings? Vera as his representative? Avalanche, saving her?

6. New York, stowing away, Norm and the lemmings, the audition, Mr Green and the mystery of Norm’s grandfather?

7. The restaurant, Mr Green, the shooting? Attack on Norm? Norm as mascot?

8. Olympia, her plan, the importance of getting ratings, Norm as centre of attention, the possibility for denunciation? Recording? Norm’s role?

9. The tourists in the Arctic, the Arctic plans, bribes? Pablo and his directness? Investor? The work?

10. The voyage, Norm going back, freed, the houses?

11. Happy ending, the dangers to Norm, recovery? His grandfather? His becoming King? Happy marriage? And the cubs?