English Dub Review: Lava

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Tattoo artist Débora is going about her daily life. A client comes in requesting an elaborate “tree of life” style tattoo. She asks him where he got the design, and he responds he drew it himself.

While waiting for the subway, she spies a zine with the same design and takes it home. Her roommate Nadia is planning for their night watching “Gain of Clones” with Lazlo and Samuel, who Nadia wants Débora to date.

The group starts watching their show, but the signal is interrupted when the screen is taken over by cryptic imagery. Nadia passes out, and the rest of the group starts to panic.

Later that night, giant cats appear on their apartment building. From there, strange things continue to appear. Giant snakes devour people in the street. A giant witch appears to chase Débora, Nadia, Samuel, and a rag-tag group of survivors.

The LAVA zine provides resources like a gun crafted from a toaster, hair dryer, and Barbie. The weapon buys Débora, Samuel, and Lazlo a bit of time, but doesn’t save them from falling off a building.

This would have been the end of their journey, but as Lazlo dryly comments as they run, “Thank god we are animated.” Despite his optimism, he’s eaten by a snake.

Débora’s ex Edgar appears to her in a dream to tell her about a mysterious creature with skin that moves and brings tattoos to life. Edgar is gathering artists (including Lazlo, who survived the snake transportation) to create imagery on the Nacissos, a giant snake that hypnotizes people with its cryptic imagery on its skin. He explains that Débora will be there soon, while a voice in Lazlo’s head summons him elsewhere.

The old man who’s been helping Débora, Samuel, and Nadia explains the ongoing conflict between LAVA and the Lacrimal culture. Débora is hesitant about fighting a war, saying she’s ordinary.

Ultimately, her friends are recruited by LAVA. But her destiny remains unclear.

Our take:

While this apocalypse comedy was clearly made by people who love cartoons (peep Dipper’s Gravity Falls hat in Débora’s store, along with various other visual references) it’s not a great example of animation itself. I’m surprised it’s gotten such good reviews so far.

The art reminiscent of Cyanide and Happiness comics. Kind of detracts from the whole “artists are the chosen ones” message. Tattoo art is admittedly higher quality, but the rest of the visuals struggle.

While I’m a big fan of the whole “existential danger being defeated by focusing on dumb relationship drama” but it doesn’t lean into it far enough.

The ambiguous ending is likely setting up for a sequel, but without clear definitions of the goals of LAVA and Lacrimal culture (besides a generic screens v. books divide), it just makes things feel unfinished.

There’s also issues with the medium. Do characters actually know they’re animated? And if so, why fear death? Aside from sight gags like Samuel shrinking, it doesn’t seem to add to the story. Additionally, the random shorts after the credits seem like there’s no clear storyline in place.

While I’m a big fan of Janeane Garofalo and loved hearing her distinct voice in this, along with Daisy Hamilton-Risher, Cedric Williams, and Jeremy Blum, this movie ultimately suffers from trying to do a little too much.

Attempting “what if phones but too much” commentary, end of the world drama, and zine culture revivals (which seems to be having a moment, between this and Moxie) muddies the waters. I think there’s an interesting story here. But it needs to be refined a bit before it can really come into its own.