In a world filled with hybrids of plants and animals, we expect this element to play a larger role, but in the animated film Swapped, what unfolds is a simple story that wastes its true potential. The film drops you into an imaginary world where woodland creatures are a mix of real-world animals and plants. We follow Ollie (voiced by Michael B Jordan), an otter-like creature, and Ivy (Juno Temple), a Javan bird, a larger, enthusiastic, and headstrong bird. While these creatures cannot communicate with each other and largely live in isolation, this lack of communication and fear drives Ollie and Ivy’s chance encounter into an adventure that begins with them switching bodies. While director Nathan Greno largely entertains, distracting elements take you out of the viewing experience.
The worldbuilding at large doesn’t add much to the story, and it is here that the audience is distracted most. Backed by former Pixar executive John Lasseter, who was behind films like Toy Story and A Bug’s Life, the imaginary is substituted for familiar superficiality.
With Swapped, the makers fall back into the all too familiar territory of underdogs bringing two warring factions together, after having to take a journey in understanding themselves first. Ollie and Ivy’s growth as characters pays off in certain scenes. For example, while escaping a group of foxes, they run into a large cave filled with creatures called root snakes, impossible to distinguish from actual tree roots. Ollie and Ivy have to work in tandem, with Ollie trusting his newly found strength in becoming a bigger creature to carry both of them, and Ivy identifying the snakes by smell, without relying on flight. These little moments of familiarity pay off well. But the makers also fail to lean into the imaginative potential of this world to actually show the audience true wonder.
While certain writing flaws exist, the animation dazzles on a visual level. The film also uses proper cinematic tools, such as live-action style editing, to create some interesting moments. While animation films of the current era rely on continuous shots that can overstretch a scene, the makers’ sense of when to stop helps. Certain voice acting decisions, including those of Jordan and Tracy Morgan, can take you out of the film. While this is not Jordan’s first voice acting venture, having previously voiced Cyborg in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, it is one where his performance feels restricted in expression. Overall, this is a simple matinee watch that needs measured expectations.