Long time listeners of On Set know that I love animated cinema. I have reviewed a lot of it over the years and there have been a few refrains in my criticism. The jokes, the songs and the fact that none of the other studios ever really get close to the consistency and excellence of Pixar. These are the topics that always come up for me. Everybody draws well, but not everybody knows how to tell a great story. Sony Pictures Animation has made a great case for itself with “KPop Demon Hunters.”
I know I’m late to this very popular party. “KPop Demon Hunters” has been available on Netflix since August. However, the upcoming theatrical sing-along version, which is set to arrive in Jackson on November 1, convinced me it was finally time to watch. I’m so glad I did. This movie really does have it all, and its rabid fans are right about how fun it is. The plot begins with a no-nonsense set-up of the central premise. The three young ladies who comprise the band Huntrix are not only amazing KPop superstars, they are also secret defenders of humanity with a mission to rid Korea of demonic evil. The idea that their power comes from their music is thankfully not beaten into the viewer with a cringe-hammer. It’s just something that is understood and accepted, which makes the world of “KPop Demon Hunters” very easy to live in. Rumi, Mira and Zoey are also very easy to root for, and their chemistry as a trio is great whether they are singing or slashing monsters. The story beats of their adventure, though fully predictable, all work well in such a comfortable and comforting world. And the arrival of a rival band in the form of the Saja Boys (demons in disguise) never tips the script too far into silliness.
So, what about the songs? Arguably the most important part of “KPop Demon Hunters” is the playlist. Huntrix, of course, does the most singing, with sure-fire hits like “Takedown” and “How it’s Done”. The movie definitely wants you to like “Golden” the most, and it is the song that will get an Oscar nomination for sure. It deserves it. My personal favorites, though, are the love duet “Free” and the Saja Boys hypnosis track “Your Idol”. The other big Saja Boys song is “Soda Pop,” but I thought it was pretty lame, especially as their introduction to the plot. Same for the final Huntrix number, “What it Sounds Like.” This is the song that brings the ladies back together after their obligatory third-act impasse. It’s fine, I guess, but not nearly as good as what came before. If it weren’t for the super fun fight choreography that underpins it, this one would have been an even bigger disappointment. I know. I hear myself. In fact, go back in time and ask any previous iteration of me the chances of me ever doing a critical rundown, with notes, of a KPop song list. They would put the odds at zero percent. But here we are. “KPop Demon Hunters” is way too fun for old rules and older thinking.
Whether you have already seen “KPop Demon Hunters” on Netflix with your kids, or are inspired to based on this review, I encourage you to also get tickets for the theatrical sing-along when it lands in Jackson on Nov. 1. Phenomenon movies don’t come around very often and any chance to participate socially in a celebration of such a good-hearted cultural wave should be seized with gusto. Especially these days. We know animation isn’t just for your kids, and this experience will confirm that KPop isn’t either.
