Movie Review: Bilal: A New Breed of Hero

The new animated film Bilal: A New Breed of Hero is one of those films that looks terribly unoriginal and predictable at first glance. Especially when one views the film’s trailer, which unfortunately markets it as little more than a Saturday morning animated show that feels destined to bombard you with religious messages, regardless of whether you are amenable to them or not. But, something remarkable happens along the way, the film proves to be rather entertaining and not as “preachy” as the trailers promised. Sure, that element is still present—so, if that kind of thing really bothers you, then this probably isn’t the film for you—but the practice is not nearly as omnipresent as one might expect. In the end, Bilal: A New Breed of Hero turns out to be an entertaining and surprisingly energetic animated adventure.

The story of Bilal: A New Breed of Hero follows the titular character (voiced by Jacob Latimore as a teen and later by Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje) from seven-year-old boy, who dreams of becoming a “great” warrior while playing with his devoted and loving mother. Then, one day, Bilal and his sister, Ghufaira (voiced by China Anne McClain as a teen and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams in her older incarnation), are abducted and sold into slavery—their mother meets a more graphic and violent end, which is one of the spots where the film earns its PG-13 rating. From here it’s one hardship after another for Bilal until one day, he discovers a heretofore unknown strength—he has a way with words—and through his power as an orator and speaker of truth, he brings about his dream of freedom.

What co-directors Khurram H. Alavi and Ayman Jamal have done very well with this film is to reign in a seemingly unwieldy script, one put together by no less than five different writers—including Alavi and Jamal themselves—into something that, although it may not be as fluid or clever as it might portend, or want, to be, does succeed in being an engaging tale of overcoming hardship and striving for and achieving greatness, which is pretty much the hallmark of any animated film you might want to share with your family.

In as much as such a film can belong to an actor, Bilal belongs to star Akinnouye-Agbaje (who previously gave life to Killer Croc in 2016’s Suicide Squad). His voice work here is indicative of what a talented actor can do with a kernel of an idea, turning it into something greater than it probably deserves to be. Similarly, Ian McShane delivers an appropriately sleazy villain in Umayya. The rest of the cast fades in and out of the film so quickly that there isn’t any time to really get to know anyone save for Bilal’s sister (though she isn’t featured nearly enough—then again, the film isn’t called Bilal and Ghufaira: The New Breed of Heroes).

While Bilal: A New Breed of Hero may not be the pinnacle of computer animation, nor is it the height of narrative storytelling, it is an engaging and entertaining animated feature that proves to be more rewarding of your time than you may think it would.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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