Despite a decent English-language dub and good visuals, this French animation falls between two stools. It’s the story of a little Sudanese boy anda giraffe travelling from the savannah to 19th-century Paris, with critic-pleasing critiques of imperialism and royalty.
Some early scenes may be too harsh for tots, though, while the story’s too bumpy for older viewers. The film veers from quasi-real to cartoonily silly and scenes either drag or whirl by too fast. The background art is often lovely, but even in cartoons, you don’t go for the scenery.