‘Wheely’ drives local animation to new heights

Four years in the making, KRU Studios’ latest effort has set a new benchmark in the local industry, writes Syahirah Mokhtazar

TRUST KRU Studios to push local cinematic boundaries to greater heights with its latest production Wheely. At a glance, the movie, which takes viewers into a world inhabited by cars only, appears as a rip-off from Pixar’s successful animated film Cars.

But time and time again, its executive producer Datuk Norman Abdul Halim insists Wheely isn’t a blatant copy of the popular animation.

While the premise of both films is similar as they involve anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles in their own world, the flavour and storyline differ.

Wheely introduces underdog cabbie and racer Wheely, who comes from the lower ranks of society. At the beginning, we see Wheely zooming across his hometown Gasket City where he shows off his racing skills.

Despite always landing in trouble with the law and being looked down upon by other luxury cars, he doesn’t let anyone dull his sparkle.

But when an accident happens, Wheely’s life is thrown into a tailspin. Now he’s practically dismissed for not being able to step up his racing skills anymore.

Things take a turn for the better when Wheely accidentally bumps into famous Italian model Bella di Monetti and falls in love with her.

He embarks on a journey to save his dream girl from an underground car-napping syndicate led by monster 18-wheeler truck Kaiser.

I like that this family-friendly movie highlights heartwarming themes of friendship, family and sacrifice.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, so the saying goes, and this is how Wheely lives his life.

The movie is screened in English and Malay.

Comedians Zizan Razak and Johan Raja Lawak voice Wheely and Putt Putt respectively while Lisa Surihani is the voice of Bella di Monetti.

In a previous interview with the New Straits Times, Norman said that the movie has input from Lisa and actress Sarimah Ibrahim to give the film a Hollywood flair. Well, it works. The script and jokes are universal enough to accommodate viewers from different parts of the world, regardless of age.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the English version of the movie which had unknown and budding voice actors locally and from the US. They did a splendid job.

In comparison with animation films produced by other local studios, KRU has definitely set a new benchmark. The graphics are so life-like and the movie setting includes a beautiful background of Putrajaya. It makes me feel proud knowing the film showcases a part of Malaysia when screened abroad.

Some animation movies carry powerful storylines but fail to win the audience over with the graphics but this one excels in both.

Though it may not be on par with the dreamy works of Pixar, we have to applaud KRU Studios for its four-year effort to complete the film. Considering its budget of US$3 million to RM5 million with 100 people working on the film, it does not turn out to be disappointing.

With the animation industry here thriving, thanks to TV series such as Boboiboy and Ejen Ali, Wheely will kickstart a new era of locally-produced international standard animation movies.

In 2014, KRU Studios released its first animation movie Ribbit about a human prince trapped in a frog’s body due to a curse.

From a talking frog to talking cars, the studio has hinted that its next animation film will be about an orangutan.

Now if the movie looks as promising as Wheely, I can’t wait to watch that too.