The 2000s were a crowded landscape for animated movies, marked by the rise of CGI animation, Disney and Pixar’s continued dominance, and DreamWorks’s big break in the industry with Shrek. A number of movies from the period have gone down as animated classics, but many others remain hidden gems of the era, overlooked among bigger and more popular releases like, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and Ice Age. Another animated film from the decade remains a hidden gem, and it’s about to leave HBO Max.
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HBO Max subscribers only have a day left to watch Igor, Chris McKenna’s 2008 animated horror comedy that put a twist on Frankenstein. The film is scheduled to exit HBO Max’s streaming library tomorrow, on November 30th. Produced by Exodus Film Group and MGM as MGM’s first fully computer-animated theatrical film since 1996’s All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, Igor centers around the titular character as he trades his lab assistant role for that of mad scientist and pursues his dream to win the Evil Science Fair. The only problem is that his “most-evil monster ever” turns out to be a nice monster.
Igor Is the Hidden Gem You Forgot About
Igor has largely fallen to the wayside in popular culture in the years since its release despite an initial strong marketing campaign with numerous promotional tie-ins and the fact that it even received an Annie Award nomination for Valérie Hadida’s character design. The film only put out a modest box office performance and debuted to mixed critical reception, only holding a 40% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, contributing to its current status as an overlooked hidden gem in animation.
The film aimed to bring a gothic touch to family-friendly comedy, and it did so exceptionally well thanks to a Tim Burton-esque visual style and a kid-friendly take on classic horror. The movie flips the script on the classic Frankenstein tale, presenting a story about a hunchbacked lab assistant who builds a monster that wants to be an actress. The film is incredibly well-executed and clever, blending the lightheartedness needed for a kids’ movie with just enough dark humor to keep it entertaining even for older viewers. Igor brings its gloomy, evil kingdom of Malaria and its quirky characters to life through beautiful, stylized animation and Burton-inspired visuals, as well as outstanding performances from a talented voice cast including John Cusack, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi, and John Cleese.
Igor ultimately failed to find much love in the crowded animated world of the 2000s, which is a shame given that it’s actually a pretty great film. Both fun and creative, and featuring a perfect balance of humor and spooky elements, the movie is an underrated animated gem that deserves a second shot.
Where to Stream Igor After It Leaves HBO Max?
Igor is largely a forgotten animated film, and with its departure from HBO Max, it may be poised to remain that way. The movie currently isn’t available on any other streaming platforms, meaning it will be difficult to watch it after it stops streaming on November 30th. Igor is available to rent or buy, and it is possible it could appear on a different streaming service in the future.
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