Based on children's novel of the same name by K.A. Applegate, Disney+'s The One and Only Ivan is a perfect fit for the streaming service as it near enough delivers everything subscribers could hope for from one of the studio's family friendly tales. Following the story of Ivan the gorilla, the movie picks up with him living his life as part of a circus act in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Surrounded by his animal friends, the death of one of his fellow acts sees Ivan set out to help a young elephant, and the circus' other attractions, find the freedom they so desperately want.
The problem with this being a tale aimed at a younger audience is that it fails to really explore the darker aspects of this story. Before the idea of being free is suggested, they're all living a perfectly happy life, are well looked after, and have a caring owner in the eccentric Mack (Bryan Cranston), owner of the Big Top Mall. Yes, they live in cages, but even those are pretty nice (there's certainly no animal cruelty to be seen, even if it is hinted at in a blink and you'd miss it training sequence), so their sudden desire for freedom appears to come out of nowhere and falls flat as a result. We know that they deserve more than a life in captivity, but the movie never makes a strong enough case for it.
The human characters are underserved for the most part, though, and it's only a mid-credits scene which successfully (and quickly) wraps up their story arcs in a satisfying enough way. Despite that, Cranston is on top form, and it's a shame we're never given the chance to dig a little deeper into his life away from the circus. A tragic past is hinted at, but he doesn't get chance to fully explore that, despite still delivering one of his reliably excellent performances. The young Ariana Greenblatt is also great, though it was a little strange to see Game of Thrones alum Indira Varma appear as little more than an extra given what the movie could have done with her character.
It's the animals that steal the show, though, and the A-List voice cast brings the photorealistic creations to life wonderfully. Sam Rockwell plays Ivan with a heartfelt voice performance, and he's backed up by impressive names like Angelina Jolie, Danny DeVito, Helen Mirren, Brooklynn Prince, and Ron Funches among others. Despite an only surface level look at The One and Only Ivan's darker, slightly more troubling, themes, it's important to remember that this is a movie directed primarily at children, and they're bound to love what's on offer here. The animals alone are worth the price of admission, and at its heart, this is a touching, enjoyable movie which tells a simple, albeit mostly impactful story with some great visuals and a sweet conclusion.
It's not necessarily the best original release to hit Disney+, but The One and Only Ivan is the perfect family film to watch with your kids, even if it does only address some important issues on a surface level.