Orion and the Dark Teaches Great Lessons About Confidence

Orion and the Dark might give off Inside Out vibes, but it is hilarious, fun, and a great way to show children that they can accomplish anything if they put their fears aside.

Orion has a fear of just about everything, including his parents moving away while he is at school, but nothing scares him like the dark — at least at the start of the film Orion and the Dark. This movie teaches important life lessons like putting aside your fears and learning how to be confident. It does so in a fun way, with some truly hilarious jokes. Despite feeling a lot like Pixar’s Inside Out, it has some originality as well. 

This movie has an incredibly talented group of actors, which is part of why it works so well. The jokes land, and the emotional moments tug at your heartstrings. Orion is voiced by Jacob Tremblay, who is well known for lending his voice to characters like Flounder and Luca. He brings something to Orion that will have viewers instantly falling in love with him.

He is a sweet kid, despite being absolutely terrified of everything around him. Watching him grow over the course of the movie almost makes adult viewers feel like a proud parent, and will hopefully inspire the younger audience to step out of their comfort zone and put their fears aside.

Dark is voiced by Paul Walter Hauser so you know he is a lovable character as well. He feels down on himself because in his words, you often see yourself through others eyes. Many people are scared of the dark, and because of this he takes that to heart. After revealing himself to Orion, he takes him on a journey through the night to show him that it isn’t as scary as he thinks it is, and that there are wonderful things about the evening, too. 

Going around the world with Dark causes Orion to meet the night entities – Insomnia, Quiet, Dreams, Sleep, and Unexplained Noises. While this might feel a bit familiar, as Inside Out took emotions and gave them physical forms, it is different enough to not stick in your head the entire movie. Angela Bassett voices Dreams and she is clearly the perfect choice to do so. Her soothing voice as she formulates custom dreams for people makes her one of the best characters. She shows a bit of angry side at times too, which absolutely works for the character. 

The rest of the night entities are great, doing their part to help Orion through his journey, even when he messes them up, as well as propelling the story in the direction it needs to go. Natasia Demetriou stands out as Sleep because she is absolutely hilarious, however it is near impossible not to picture her character Nadja from What We Do In The Shadows whenever Sleep talks.

The design of the night entities is very cool. They all have their own specific look and distinct personalities that bleed through their mannerisms. However, the animation at times looks cheep. Not always, but there are certain cuts to hair or animals with fur that look just a little bit off, but enough to stand out. 

The overall messaging is to not let yourself miss out on adventure because you are scared, something that can mean something to almost everyone. It might not be the dark that you fear, but rather something like being more outspoken at work or school. This movie shows that going out on a limb, and finding the confidence you need to step out of your comfort zone, can be a good thing. 

Orion and the Dark is often predictable, but almost always fun. Towards the end it goes completely off the rails – jumps the shark even – but then it reigns itself in and ends up making sense. The transition however is so bizarre and abrupt (you’ll know when) that it has the potential to pull many people completely out of the movie and have them thinking, what am I watching now? Stick through it though, because it does all come together in the end. In a very sweet way, I might add.

Rating: 3 out of 5

NEXT: Orion and the Dark Cast, Images, Trailer, Release Date

About Orion and the Dark

Orion seems a lot like your average elementary school kid –– shy, unassuming, harboring a secret crush. But underneath his seemingly normal exterior, Orion is a ball of adolescent anxiety, completely consumed by irrational fears of bees, dogs, the ocean, cell phone waves, murderous gutter clowns, even falling off a cliff. But of all his fears, the thing he’s the most afraid of is what he confronts on a nightly basis: the dark.

So when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, Dark whisks Orion away on a roller coaster ride around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of in the night. As the unlikely pair grow closer, Orion must decide if he can learn to accept the unknown –– to stop letting fear control his life and finally embrace the joy of living.

Orion and the Dark starts streaming on Netflix February 2nd.