Netflix is a streaming service that is littered with some fantastic movies, including a bunch that are labeled as their own original films. While a handful of these are memorable like the record-breaking KPop Demon Hunters, the Oscar-nominated Marriage Story, and Bird Box, some of the best have flown under the radar.
Among those hidden gem Netflix original movies is Entergalactic, an animated film from the mind of rapper Kid Cudi. The film wasn’t given a lot of hype upon release, so it was overlooked by many. Some either didn’t know Cudi was involved or ignored something done by a musician rather than a producer.
However, those who gave Entergalactic a chance found one of Netflix’s best original movies ever. If you haven’t seen it, there are plenty of reasons why it’s worth checking out.
Entergalactic Is A Unique Animated Movie
For starters, Entergalactic immediately stands out from a visual standpoint. It has a unique look that feels unlike most other films out there. One of the few movies that it seems to borrow its style from is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which was wisely praised for its animation.
That animated style was one of the most lauded aspects of Entergalactic but it goes beyond that. The film sits at an incredible 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics appreciating the soundtrack, voice acting, and screenplay.
Entergalactic tells a relatively simple story at its core, which is to its strength. It centers on an artist named Jabari and the whirlwind romance he finds himself in with his new neighbor, Meadow. The romantic comedy genre isn’t often represented in animation, giving Entergalactic another unique aspect.
On top of those already impressive qualities, another thing that separates Entergalactic from other animated films is its soundtrack. While plenty of animated movies have great soundtracks, the music here actually doubles as a studio album for Kid Cudi and features the likes of 2 Chainz and Steve Aoki.
The Voice Cast Of Entergalactic Is Incredible
After you get past being stunned by the visual style and listening to the great songs in Entergalactic, you’ll notice some familiar voices in the cast. In fact, the film boasts one of the best voice casts ever assembled for an animated film, making it more surprising that the movie wasn’t a bigger deal.
Jabari is voiced by Scott Mescudi himself (Kid Cudi) and Meadow is played by the very talented Jessica Williams. The supporting cast is filled with notable names from legendary character actor Keith David, to the iconic Macaulay Culkin, to a cameo from Wednesday star Luis Guzmán.
There are also musicians lending their voice, including Teyana Taylor, 070 Shake, and Jaden Smith. Vanessa Hudgens is a highlight as Meadow’s friend Karina, while one of the top actors today, Timothée Chalamet, pops up as Jabari’s drug dealing friend Jimmy.
Entergalactic Was Initially Meant To Be An Animated Series
If you were to look up information about Entergalactic, you might find it listed as a TV special. That’s because the impressive project was actually designed as a TV series initially. In August 2022, it was changed to a TV special that premiered a month later on Netflix and due to that, it worked as a film.
In some cases, a TV series works better than a film because it allows more time for a story to develop. However, in this case, going the movie route made more sense. There isn’t quite enough story here to span several episodes, so having it all together in a 92-minute package is perfect.
Several Great Movies Inspired Entergalactic
Even when it was planned to be a TV series, it was clear that several films inspired Entergalactic. The first that stands out is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse given the visual style. However, it also shares a vibe with another hidden gem animated movie, I Lost My Body
Released in 2019, I Lost My Body was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and some believe it should’ve won over Toy Story 4. The film tells two stories and while one involves a severed hand searching for its lost body, the other is a romance that feels similar to what Jabari and Meadow have.
One review of Entergalactic praised the film and said, “It feels like the lovechild between When Harry Met Sally and Spider-Verse for a Black demographic, who deserve stories like this no matter what medium they’re presented in.” That’s kind of perfect because When Harry Met Sally was a major influence on the project.
You can see aspects of a great romantic comedy in Entergalactic, which is born from the legendary When Harry Met Sally. The combination of using modern animation (which won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation) with classic storytelling elements is a big part of why Entergalactic was so well-received.
- Release Date
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September 28, 2022
- Runtime
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94 minutes
- Director
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Fletcher Moules
- Writers
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Esa Lewis, Sidney Schleiff, Judnick Mayard
- Producers
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Kenya Barris, Ian Edelman, Kid Cudi, Maurice Williams, Dennis Cummings, Karina Manashil
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Jessica Williams
Meadow Watson (voice)
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Laura Harrier
Carmen (voice)
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