I didn't see this when it first came out, back in the early 80s. If I had, I probably would have liked it, since I was the proper demographic. As someone nearing 40, I really can't say that I was impressed, however. Unlike Bakshi's work, which is generally aimed at adults, this was squarely aimed at the kid demographic, with anthropomorphic animals, over-the-top sentimentality ("love conquers everything" is a major theme), and incredibly dopey characters, right out of a Saturday morning kids' cartoon, with wacky voices to go along with them. The plot is pretty much throwaway. A narcissistic, aging "superrocker" named Mok is looking to summon a demon, although he's never really given any motivation for doing so, other than maybe wanting to be more famous than he already is. Unfortunately, he comes across as a stereotypical Disney villain and a not-so-subtle satire of Mick Jagger. The other characters are pretty much forgettable, though the heroine Angel could have been an interesting character. Stupidly, she's completely incapable of doing anything herself, and needs to be constantly saved by her male friends.
The animation is pretty good, and the voice work is alright. I really wasn't very fond of the art style (cartoon animals, with snouts and big ears), as it was heavily influenced by Disney. Some people have suggested that it's supposed to be a parody of Disney's style, but I really doubt that. These are the same guys who did the Strawberry Shortcake cartoon in the 1980s. I think they're incapable of being edgy enough to take on parody. I think it's a straight-up, honest homage.
In the end, this may be a little too dark for younger kids, but I doubt that it will really appeal very strongly to older teens (or adults), due to the cheesy message and heavy moralizing, which is more common in kids' cartoons. I had always heard it described as "for adults", but it's clearly not. It just goes to show you that pretty much anything that's animated can (and eventually will) be described as "adult" by someone, somewhere, eventually, even if it's overflowing in cheesy sentimentality and completely harmless. I've seen edgier episodes of The Simpsons.
While not totally G-rated, I'd still say that anyone older than 12 should probably steer clear of this movie, unless they're Christian. It's got a very simplistic, heavy-handed moral that should resonate well with them.
The animation is pretty good, and the voice work is alright. I really wasn't very fond of the art style (cartoon animals, with snouts and big ears), as it was heavily influenced by Disney. Some people have suggested that it's supposed to be a parody of Disney's style, but I really doubt that. These are the same guys who did the Strawberry Shortcake cartoon in the 1980s. I think they're incapable of being edgy enough to take on parody. I think it's a straight-up, honest homage.
In the end, this may be a little too dark for younger kids, but I doubt that it will really appeal very strongly to older teens (or adults), due to the cheesy message and heavy moralizing, which is more common in kids' cartoons. I had always heard it described as "for adults", but it's clearly not. It just goes to show you that pretty much anything that's animated can (and eventually will) be described as "adult" by someone, somewhere, eventually, even if it's overflowing in cheesy sentimentality and completely harmless. I've seen edgier episodes of The Simpsons.
While not totally G-rated, I'd still say that anyone older than 12 should probably steer clear of this movie, unless they're Christian. It's got a very simplistic, heavy-handed moral that should resonate well with them.