Imaginary friends and entities seem to be all over the 2024 movie calendar , and Netflix is about to get in on the fun, too, by releasing Studio Ponoc’s animated fantasy The Imaginary to U.S. audiences.
Not to be confused with the Blumhouse horror Imaginary or John Krasinski’s imaginary friend flick IF , The Imaginary was adapted from a novel and centers around Amanda and her friendship with the invisible entity she created — her Imaginary — named Rudger. The film, which was released in Japanese theaters in December, will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription on July 5, so let’s see what critics have to say. In The Imaginary , Amanda manufactures Rudger as a coping mechanism following her father’s death.
The two embark on great journeys together within the confines of Amanda’s mind, until their friendship is threatened by the sinister Mr. Bunting and his own Imaginary, as well as other forces. In CinemaBlend’s review of The Imaginary , Mike Reyes says to have tissues handy for both happy and sad tears, as this movie is one of the best animated films of the year so far.
He rates it 4.5 stars out of 5, and says: We’re not told to put on our blinders and wait for the emotional wallop waiting at the end of The Imaginary, but rather the audience is conditioned to accept that fate every step of the way. As a result, the peril and the pathos shine equally bright, which more than likely explains why the more outrageous adventures throughout hold their w.
