Introduction
Basic movie information
Directed by: Gints Zilbalodis
Full name: Flow
Release date: March 15, 2024 (limited release), wider international release in March 2025
What to expect: A contemplative, visually arresting journey through a post-apocalyptic world seen through the eyes of animals—completely without dialogue.
Additional information: This is an animated film entirely focused on the natural world, emotional expression through body language, and immersive visuals. It relies on ambient storytelling rather than conventional narrative.
Budget: Estimated under €3 million
Box office: Modest earnings, primarily from film festivals and limited runs, with high praise from indie critics. Box office is over €30 million.
Initial thoughts
My wife and I actually wanted to watch this movie during dinner, but quickly realized we should watch it later in the evening, as this was going to be a heavy movie. Within the first few minutes, it was clear Flow wasn’t just another animated feature. The silence, the mood, the visual poetry—it demanded focus and presence. Watching it casually would have done it a disservice. It quickly became apparent this would be more emotional than expected.
Enjoyment
Plot summary
Flow follows a cat navigating a flooded, abandoned world, forming fragile bonds with other animals along the way. There’s no dialogue, only expressions, actions, and atmosphere. What unfolds is a raw and emotional tale of survival, trust, and the natural order, where every choice has consequences.
Was the movie fun?
Fun isn’t the word I’d use. This is not a lighthearted experience. However, it’s deeply captivating. If you love animals, or stories told purely through visual storytelling, Flow will keep you fully engaged.
Emotional impact
Extremely strong. Some scenes genuinely hit hard. Without words, the film builds emotional layers purely through music, pacing, and character animation. The weight of loneliness, companionship, and sacrifice are all felt. No spoilers, but the end did hit hard.
Rating for Enjoyment
After thinking about all the aspects this movie has to give for enjoyment, emotional impact, and other factors, I decided to give the enjoyment section of this movie review, an 8.5.
Pacing and audience
Pacing of the movie
Deliberate and slow. This isn’t for everyone, and it takes its time. But the pace is intentional—it allows you to absorb the emotions, the scenery, and the weight of what’s happening. Most of the scenes are on the boat, which a bird can steer, but I think he is some kind of guide, no spoilers here either, but neither the cat nor the capybara can steer it properly.
What audience is targeted?
Definitely not for young children or those looking for entertainment in the traditional sense. This is for lovers of art films, nature documentaries, and anyone open to emotional, dialogue-free cinema. You also need to love animals to truly connect.
Script and dialogue
There is no script or spoken dialogue, but that’s the point. The absence of words becomes a language of its own. You only hear animal sounds, and it makes for a rollercoaster.
What message does this movie instill?
Life is fragile. Nature can be cruel but also beautiful. Cooperation, empathy, and sacrifice are central themes. The film teaches us that words aren’t always necessary to understand one another.
Rating
After some consideration, thinking over the dialogue and the scenes, I give the pacing and audience section a rating of 9.
Graphic style
Quality of graphics and art direction
The visuals are painterly and atmospheric. The stylized animation complements the quiet world the story inhabits. The design of each animal is simple yet emotionally expressive. There’s a dreamlike quality to it all, blending minimalism with haunting detail.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style of this movie a good rating. But after considering a lot, I decided to give it a 9.5
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the movie
The soundtrack carries the entire emotional weight. Without dialogue, the score does all the storytelling heavy lifting, and it does so beautifully. Each note reflects the mood of the scene perfectly, from moments of tension to quiet companionship.
Acting and lines
There are no lines, but the animation does the acting. You believe in the characters just through their movement and interaction.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 9.
Personal experiences favorite scene
There were multiple scenes I enjoyed, but the movie was heavy on the heart. One scene that stood out was when the cat makes a difficult choice regarding the group it travels with and follows the bird up a mountain. That moment had real weight, showcasing both the bond formed and the brutal reality of survival. It stayed with us long after the credits rolled. Furthermore, the ending scene was brutal and made me shed a tear.
Rating
My own personal rating of this movie is a 9.5.
Last words
Pros
- Stunning, stylized visuals
- Deep emotional storytelling without words
- A unique cinematic experience
- Incredible use of music
- Strong environmental message
- Honest portrayal of animal behavior
- This movie is not afraid to take risks
- Emotional without manipulation of how the animals are portrayed
- Beautifully directed and paced
Cons
- This is absolutely not for everyone. If you don’t enjoy slow-paced, wordless films or don’t connect emotionally to animals, you may not find much here.
Flow is a rare piece of cinema—quiet, brave, and emotionally resonant. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you let it, it will draw you in deeper than you expect. It asks for your attention, your patience, and your empathy. And if you give it that, it gives you something hauntingly beautiful in return. Another thing to keep in mind, Flow won the Oscar for best animated feature.
Final Rating
9
Please let me know what you think of the Flow movie review in the comments!
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I saw the film. It’s a lovely moment, a beautiful experience that invites us to think about things differently. A great success that I’d also recommend.
Definitely not something for me. Animal POV stores just don’t appeal to me.
I was amazed to see that such a passion project reveived so much attention. It is still on my watchlist 🐾. It looks like a game turned into a movie =3 … just lovely
I have not watched it yet, only saw a trailer. The visual are just amazing.
This movie seems an real art. Slow pace of story usally is ok for me in movies, i like when it is possible to create some bond between myself and characters. I love animals. That said, frankly i must say i would be a bit scared to watch this because of possible (is should say “confirmed”) heavy/sad outcome :/ Hmm.. nevertheless maybe i will watch it in anyway when it will be on tv for example, I also like such stylish art too 🙂 Thanks for reviews!
Maybe I should give it a go, it sounds like something really special!
Thanks for the review! 😀
Interesting!
Sounds like a good movie to just relax and watch!🐑
Reading your review made me reflect on how powerful storytelling can be without dialogue; Flow seems to express so much through emotion and atmosphere alone.
Need to love animals to live the film eh? Sounds like I’m going to love the film. The instilled message of the film definitely makes me more interested in watching it.
Sounds experimental but actually very interesting. I like to watch it (but maybe with some handkerchiefs 😅)
How long is the movie?
Hmm, sounds captivating enough to give it a watch!
To be honest, I enjoy “heavy” movies more than the mindless action ones, because they stay in my memory much longer. 🐾
This is not a movie you can watch while you scroll on your phone!
You’re not the only one to suggest it. I’ll have to look into it.
Nice review! I think Flow is a very beautiful film, and highly recommended for the whole family. It brings a breath of fresh air and a great deal of good taste to the animal animation genre.
I never watched that, but if that’s really without talking, then probably not for me. It’s similar like with games, I prefer a lot of action and don’t like too calm movies or series.
oooh i watched it when it came out with my fam <3 it was amazinnggg!!
This sounds so beautiful. I’ll definitely have to give it a go. I don’t follow the Oscars or movie releases, so I’ve actually never heard of this one. But I so want to watch it now. Thank you so much for suggesting it!!! <3
Oh this looks so magical! The animation is so beautiful, I can tell a lot of love and work went into it, and I really love the sound of the theme/meaning! This is gonna be a must watch for me and probably my new favourite movie, looks really special 🙂
Didn’t know this movie, seems a pretty beautiful one
Beautiful review. Have heard really paw-sitive opinions regarding the film so will check it out 🙂
Beautiful review! I will watch this movie.
i didint watch yet. But i added to watchlist. =)
I’ll be honest, I plan on watching the movie (highly looking forward to it) so didn’t read the review, skipped to final rating.
Glad to see it received a 9! 😀