Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Ali Samadi Ahadi, Rialto Distribution.
It’s not often we use the phrase — ‘to the moon and back’ — in a context other than in a romantic way. The exception is in this charming animated family adventure. Taking small and giant steps, this fantasy is also about friendship.
Join Peter and Anne on their incredible journey to the moon. Based on the children’s fairy tale Little Peter’s Journey to the Moon by German author Gerdt von Bassewitz, Moombound is about two brave children who embark on a lunar adventure to help an elderly June bug.
When Peter sets out on a magical journey to rescue his little sister Anne, he needs to travel to mysterious territory: the moon! Anne was kidnapped by the evil Moon Man when she tried to help the beetle Mr. Zoomzeman in the search for his wife. On his fantastic adventure, Peter lands on the Star Meadow where he meets the sleepy Mr. Sandman.
Moonbound relays the story of Mr Zoomzeman (voiced by Howard Nightingale), an elderly June bug. Mr Zoomzeman has spent his whole adult life searching for brave humans, who’ve never hurt any animals, to help him retrieve something he lost many years ago. When a mean thief (Drew Sarich) cut down Mr Zoomzeman’s home, a beautiful birch tree, Mr Zoomzeman asked the Night Fairy (Cindy Robinson) for help. The Night Fairy banished the thief and his two accomplices to the moon.
When Mr Zoomzeman meets young Anne (Lilian Gartner), and her brother Peter (Aleks Le), he knows he has found the right humans to help him. Together they go on a fantastic journey to the stars to stop the evil Moon Man once and for all, and to retrieve Mr Zoomzeman’s arm, birch tree and lost love.
