A brief analysis of The Crooks: breaking the old-fashioned idea and bravely meeting the changes of life
The film is a 3D animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation. It won many awards after its release, such as the 86th Academy Award, the 71st Golden Globe Award and the 41st Animated Annie Award, which were nominated for Best Animated Feature Film. At present, the rating is as high as 8.7 points on Doosan.
The film tells the story of the caveman Guam brother family living in a cave, living an unchanging life. Grog is stuck in a rut and afraid to accept all new things outside the cave, while his daughter Eel always longs for the world outside the cave.
When the end of the world suddenly comes, the family is forced to leave the cave and embark on a journey to find the cave. During this period, I met the “new human” Guy, and started an adventurous life journey with him.
The Crooks seems to be a thrilling and funny animated movie, but in fact it tells us the story of bravely jumping out of our comfort zone when facing changes in our life, boldly meeting challenges, and finally walking towards a new life.
Plot: Through the emotional story inside the primitive family, it increases the sense of substitution of the audience and makes the connotation of the film more intenseThe film uses cause-and-effect linear narration to make the story simple and clear. The protagonist Xiao Yi tells the living environment of cavemen in the way of confession. They go out every day to fight for their only food, ostrich eggs, and are often attacked by wild animals.
Grog is a conformist father, and the cave walls are covered with Grog’s rules. Grog tells a story over and over again every day, and the end of the story is always the same. Change means death.Through the way of telling the story, clearly explained the background of the story and the harsh natural environment. Worry and fear imprison Grog’s mind, so he shows his aversion and incomprehension to the curious new things. In this way, the conflict between father and daughter gradually formed.
When The Times collapse, the routine is broken and the family is forced to leave the familiar cave in search of a new place to live. The appearance of “New humans” helped them solve a lot of problems.Gay knew how to drill wood for fire, how to use traps to get food, how to teach them how to use tools to walk through coral, and how to know much about the outside world.Grog, however, all the actions of the guy is identified as the source of danger. Xiao Yi is disgusted by her father’s old ideas. She wants to leave the family and go to the new world with Guy.
Along the way, Guy’s new ideas teach the caveman to use everything in nature as a tool to get through one difficulty after another. And Grog but time and again adhere to the old-fashioned concept, these are useless methods in the family view. Because Gay came out and broke the mutual trust within the family, this let Grog cannot accept.So Grog tries to invent all kinds of wacky ideas to dress up as modern minds, and they’re terrible. The whole family no longer listens to Guam brother’s command; Guam brother felt his authority in the Gay join, challenged.
In the fight with Guy, Guy with his own ideas and firm perception of Grog, Working together, the two of them used modern ideas to get out of trouble.At the end of the film, when the mountain collapses and the earth collapses, Grog encourages his family to “follow the light instead of hiding in the dark” and throws all the people to the other side of the light by virtue of his strength advantage.After the life and death troubles, the daughter Xiao also understands his father’s deep love, two people finally embrace reconciliation, Guam brother also harvest the love of the family, together towards their tomorrow.
The film presents the whole story completely through colorful picture colors and sincere family story. The humorous plot increases the interest of the film and talks about the didactic component, which makes the story easy to understand and makes the audience think about the changes in life.Characterization: Through the delicate description of character image and character conflict, the story is full and the plot is more fascinating
Every detail in the story is vivid and every character is well portrayed. In particular, it highlights the emotional gap between parents and children, as well as the novel ideas of the new human cover. Through the focus of these three characters, to foil the theme of the film.
Grog: A primitive man of old-fashioned thinking and conformism
In Grog’s mind, everything new is dangerous. As his mantra goes: “New is bad, curiosity is bad, never not be afraid, fear keeps us alive”He blocked all new ideas to his daughter. Such behavior is bound to make two people conflict, Guam brother’s practice is completely out of love and protection for her daughter, even if her daughter does not understand to insist.In the collision with Guy’s new ideas, in order to protect his family, he also tried to change, wearing a wig as a “brain”, invent belts, invent glasses, invent vehicles, but all these failed, his family was disappointed in him.
Until finally, in the face of the collapse of the mountains and the earth, Grog uses his strong strength to throw the whole family to the safety of the other side, let them follow the sun to find tomorrow, and he alone bear the risk.Though he is stubborn, he has a sense of responsibility. It is his duty to protect the safety of his family, and he is willing to give up his ego in the moment of danger to protect the safety of his family. Finally, Grog abandoned the old-fashioned ideas, with novel ideas, finally reunited with his family, from primitive people to modern people’s bright life.
Eel: A rebellious adolescent girl who is curious about anything new
Eel is curious about everything new. No matter how dangerous the outside world is, she wants to experience it. And Grog always tells El that the only way to survive is by following the rules. El thinks her father’s control is too strict. She sneaks out when the family is asleep. The appearance of Guy made her realize the outside world, a colorful world. As a long time to get along, two people have feelings for each other; the heart has a good impression.
Finally, her father protected the whole family with his own strength. In the process of life and death, Xiao Yi also understood her father’s good intentions and his deep love. At this moment, Xiao Yi finally grew up.
This approach to modern thinking taught Neanderthals to accept many new things, and gained Guy the trust of others other than Grog. It is in this way that Guy and Grog have a conflict between new ideas and old ideas, after going through many difficulties, everyone’s thoughts have changed, and Guy and Grog also resolve the contradiction.
“The Crooks” shows the characters’ images and inner thoughts through the way of animation, expresses the sincere emotion between parents and children, and brings us deeper thinking and inspiration.
Symbolic symbols: “Fire” and “light” symbolize new hope, promote the development of the story plot, and express the abandonment of old-fashioned ideas, so as to achieve self-transformation
The symbol of the film is another way of language expression of the film, is the soul of a film, through the special meaning of the object set, the connotation of the film is vividly demonstrated.
There are two prominent symbols in the film: fire and light. These two objects have different definitions for different statements.
1. Fire: The cavemen who first saw fire thought it was the sun. They’ve been trapped in darkness for so long that even a light is the sun. Here fire is a symbol of light, and a metaphor for the caveman who is no longer confined to the dark.
The second time, Guy took advantage of the presence of the dangerous man-eating redfish fire and obtained food by drilling wood for fire. The fire here represents a tool that brings stable food. The third time, Grog escaped from SAN Andreas through fire, which had become a symbol of the caveman’s acceptance of the new and rejection of the old.
The interspersed narrative of fire in the film strongly highlights the caveman’s desire for light; Fire marked their transition from primitive man to modern man. Never knowing what fire is, but later being able to use it easily, this is also a metaphor for the gradual transformation of primitive man.
2. Light: The first meaning: Light is the escape from darkness for cavemen. Only with the appearance of light can they get out of the cave and explore what is outside. Darkness means death, light means temporary safety.
The second meaning: the light in the eyes represents a new life. Follow the light to find tomorrow and find new hope. Bright hope good to live, light is a force of nature, and all living things in the natural environment depend on it.
The film begins with the cavemen entering the new world after the collapse of time, and light is always with them. The sun, starlight, firelight, whatever form light takes, is an indispensable force in nature. It is with the existence of light, the nature of life can better survive. And light is an important factor guiding them to find a new world. With light, there is hope.
“The Crooks” presents the theme of the story through different objects, and lets the audience realize that no matter how much life changes; they should put aside their old ideas and travel lightly. I firmly believe that as long as there is light and hope in our hearts, we can guide us forward and find our own bright road.
Viewing and thinking: Combined with the film, talk about the realistic significance brought to us
In “The Crooks”, the caveman family on the journey, although there are many dangers and difficulties, but they still insist on the courage to explore the unknown world. As the film conveys to us, knowing how to change and let go is the transformation of self. Only by following the light can we find a place to survive.
And the real life is to constantly overcome the self, which is accompanied by setbacks, courage, growth, transformation, and finally to success. Through the film let us feel, don’t be afraid of change because of fear, give up the exploration of the future, and bring us the realistic significance.
(1) Throw away old ideas and try new things
It’s easy to relate to Grog as a character, as if he’s like us, who refuse to try new things. Whenever I encounter new things and difficulties, I always use the old ideas to deal with problems, but the results are not satisfactory. Seeing new things, having new ideas, and being held back by fear of the consequences.
So when we encounter new things and ideas, we should try hard to accept and try it, and be brave to change. We’ll have a different outcome, just like Grog used a novel idea to escape the end of the world.
Not all new things are bad, only after exposure to discover its true effect, overcome the psychology of fear to truly practice it.
