I love short films. They are bite-sized nuggets of joy that often tell a complex story in a balanced amount of time.
Kirsten Lepore’s I Am Groot is exactly that.
Honestly, the world is topsy turvy right now. Films can act as an escape for most viewers, a chance to dive into a completely different world that we can step into and disconnect from our reality, even just for a moment.
I Am Groot is that perfect escape. A magical production that has a much bigger, positive impact than you will ever realize.
Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in Marvel Studios’ I AM GROOT exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 MARVEL.One Happy Character
‘Happiness’ is how I’d describe I Am Groot, with all honesty.
Baby Groot is probably one of the most loved MCU characters over the last decade, one that has been putting a smile on people’s faces since Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1. Baby Groot is one of those characters that sparked your inner child, giving you something to laugh about.
Of course, Baby Groot soon became Teenager Groot as the MCU progressed, playing a pivotal role in the development of many other characters.
But we all still missed Baby Groot.
The dancing tree in a pot that would drive Rocket and Drax crazy was someone we still, at heart, really cared about. And it is that care and affection towards the character that makes I Am Groot a truly ingenious little addition to the growing Marvel universe of productions.
Plus, as an added bonus, the show also fills in a little gap between Volume 1 and Volume 2 of Guardians of the Galaxy to show Baby Groot’s evolution.
I Am Groot capitalizes on the bite-sized nature of short films to bring forward an animation experience that serves up pure nuggets of happiness, the perfect little breaks we all need right now.
Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in Marvel Studios’ I AM GROOT exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 MARVEL.Beautiful animation
When you bring on board a powerhouse animator like Kirsten Lepore, you can expect great things. She has done some wonderful work, especially in the realm of stop-motion animation ,with critically acclaimed Marcel the Shell with Shoes On being one of her latest projects that springs to mind.
Animation is hard work.
With family in the field, I know the amount of effort it takes to bring a story to life through animation. I even worked on a stop motion project a while back, and I still remember sweating bullets and mustering Everest-levels of patience trying to get the flow just right.
Animation is a labour of love, and you can clearly see that with I Am Groot. Each episodes is a perfect 3-4 minutes, each telling important moments in Baby Groot’s life that showcase the growth of his character as he wonders around space. The animation is flawless, uncomplicated, and honestly refreshing. There isn’t so much going on that you can’t keep up, nor does it lag at any given time. The pace is great, the details are extraordinary, and the story (and the way its executed through animation) will melt your heart at times.
Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in Marvel Studios’ I AM GROOT exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 MARVEL.We need more projects like I Am Groot
I am as invested in the MCU as the next person. I care about what is going on, and Phase 5 and 6 feature some characters I’ve truly come to appreciate and love.
However, sometimes we all need film and TV to help us do one thing: relax.
As soon as I started watching, I was trying to figure out easter eggs and clues about the future, before I snapped at myself and told myself to get a grip.
I’m sure there are some wonderful easter eggs in this show, but what I got about from it was very simple: I got 20 minutes to relax and have a laugh. It was like watching cartoons again, like Bugs Bunny or Tom and Jerry. You just watched and relaxed.
Dear Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige: Please invest more in great creatives like Kirsten Lepore and members of her team and make more projects like this. They can have a mind blowing impact on people. To Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper who agreed to be a part of the project, given how busy you both are, thank you for supporting it. It’s awesome to see talented names give their time for projects like this, which I feel we all need more of.
Definitely add I Am Groot to your watchlist!
I Am Groot is now streaming on Disney+.
Cover Image: Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in Marvel Studios’ I AM GROOT exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 MARVEL.
