Before you decide that somebody, or a whole group, is just awful and irredeemable, perhaps you should spend a day in their shoes. It’s a trope that’s carried many a switcheroo story, where the characters struggle to adjust or are perhaps even disgusted by their new forced roles but learn something from their experience in the end. Netflix’s Swapped, at the very least, has a unique spin on the common body swap, as well as a heartwarming message and genuine friendship that make it a standout in Netflix’s mixed bag catalog of animated films.
Ollie is a curious young Pookoo – perhaps a normal state for a child, but not a child Pookoo, a species whose survival and land depend on their fear of the rest of the ecosystem. His naive friendliness one day leads him to teach a Javan chick how to find food on their island, which, of course, leads to the adult Javan storming the island and taking over the Pookoos’ food supply. Shunned by his community, Ollie struggles to make things right before his species dies of starvation. However, a fall into a dark hole with mysterious glowing pink pods leads to a magical transformation – one that might just be able to bridge the gap between the species, or lead to the extinction of them all. Whichever Ollie and the bossy Javan that led to his transformation can find their way to first.
While the plot has been oversimplified by some as a “Freaky Friday flip,” what happens to Ollie and Ivy the Javan is a little more complex than that. The pink orb doesn’t make the characters swap bodies but instead changes species, triggered by the last word spoken before they touch it. It was just unfortunate word choice that put Ollie and Ivy in the exact opposite positions, and we see how the orb can be used to turn any animal into anything…for better or for worse.
The film has an entertaining, if perhaps paint-by-numbers, cast of animal friends, including the Javan and Pookoo, species of wolves, etc. Ollie and Ivy immediately butt heads, both suddenly forced into the role of a species that they’ve learned to despise; the catch is that said behavior is learned. As much as they struggle with the species dysphoria of not knowing how to fly or being small and hairy, the pair learn to lean on one another and find the value in being in someone else’s shoes. Both begin to realize that their roles aren’t so different after all, and the only way they might be able to save both of their homes is by showing the others that joining forces is possible.
While the film’s animation has some beautiful scenery and a few standout breathtaking moments, something about it might feel off to older viewers. There are a few artifacts that appear throughout the film, which could be a sign of a rushed production, human error, or the use of AI to generate some scenes and models. Skydance Animation has been open about using AI for past works and is willing to see what it can do in the future, though no such credit or explicit suggestion of use appears in the credits of Swapped. It’s a subject that’s been speculated upon online, but as of right now it’s far too unclear for even those who are completely anti-AI to condemn the film outright.
If there’s one thing to complain about in the film’s story, it’s that its conflict leans on the idea that the villains they face are quite stupid. Ollie and Pookoo aren’t exactly at the top of the food chain; there are multiple moments where they simply could’ve been swallowed whole, and the rest of the world would’ve gone on its way, though perhaps that’s more appropriate for Animal Planet than an animated children’s movie. The message that Swapped is ultimately going for is one of hope and the power of working together; you could both argue that’s remarkably generic and overdone or give them a pat on the back for doing so in such a bleak world. After all, Netflix itself seems to have no goal with its animated films at times other than “we need to put something out now so people don’t cancel their subscriptions.”
The film has a talented and familiar cast of voice actors, including Michael B. Jordan as Ollie, Juno Temple as Ivy, and Tracy Morgan as a fish named Boogle. While all of them are more than competent enough to prove they weren’t just thrown in for extra name recognition, it doesn’t lean on their comedic value much. Though considering one of the few – and prominent – gags involves Ollie being turned into a “dung baby,” perhaps it’s better that they were more focused on telling a story here than writing jokes.
Overall, Swapped is an above-average effort from Netflix, and perhaps Skydance Animation’s breakout in terms of having a competent enough story and solid animation to show off its chops. It’s not as exceptional as the other recent body-swap story Hoppers, but there’s more than enough here to keep both kids and adults entertained, with a good message to bring home at the end about breaking through fear and biases to see the good in someone else’s shoes…feathers, paws, you get what I’m saying.
Swapped is available to stream on Netflix.
