[Movie] Sheep Detective Agency Review (Slight Spoilers) | Surreal and cute, yet a proper mystery
Hello everyone.
This time, I'm writing a review for the movie "Sheep Detective Agency," which I was convinced would be interesting the moment I saw the trailer.
By the way, there are only a few spoilers. (That said, I think this is the type of movie you can enjoy even if you see some spoilers.)
Honestly, I think many people might think it's for children just by looking at the title. However, when you actually watch it, the balance between the comedy and the quality of the mystery is quite good.
A brief synopsis
The setting is a rural town in England. George, a shepherd, reads detective novels to his sheep every night. Then one day, George is found dead. The sheep decide, "This is murder!" and, led by a sheep named Lily, they begin searching for the culprit...
The premise is quite surreal, but this "surrealism" is genuinely funny. First of all, the sheep are just so cute. I especially loved the scene where the sheep are staring intently at the police officer. The visual is completely absurd, but the characters (or should I say, the sheep?) are dead serious.
Moreover, it doesn't end as just an animal comedy. The mystery aspect was also well-crafted.
Of course, since it's a "case that even sheep can solve," it's not a super complex, hardcore mystery. However, the way the foreshadowing is laid out and resolved is careful, and it leaves you with the satisfaction of having "watched a proper mystery movie." It wasn't just a movie with visual impact; it was good that it also stood up as a story.
There were also some touching scenes toward the end that almost made me cry.
This might bother some people, but I also felt some ideological elements.
For example, there is a depiction of discrimination among the sheep against "winter-born sheep," and the act of humans slaughtering sheep is portrayed with a feeling close to "murder." How this is received will likely vary from person to person.
Personally, however, I felt that by including those themes rather than just ending as a "cute sheep movie," it gave the work a unique depth.
One point that bothered me a little is that while the title is "Sheep Detective Agency," it is almost entirely Lily who drives the investigation. The other sheep do cooperate, of course, but if you are expecting a feeling of "many sheep solving the case together!", it might be a little different.
Personally, I wanted to see more scenes where all the sheep use their individual personalities to play an active role. The premise seems like it could be expanded indefinitely, so if there is a sequel, I would like to look forward to that.
Overall, it was "a work that looks like a gimmick movie but is actually quite interesting." The cuteness, surrealism, comedy, and mystery are well-integrated, and you feel satisfied after watching it.
If you are even slightly curious after hearing it's a "movie where sheep act as detectives," I definitely recommend watching it.
Today's song: Full Circle (V6)
I've seen V6 in various places before listening to this song, but this track made me realize their "coolness" all over again (a bit late). It's a song where you can feel the coolness of adults.