In a luxurious seaplane rattling its way across the skies between Shanghai and San Francisco in 1934, Inspector Sun finds himself thrust into his most baffling case yet. This arachnid detective, voiced to hilarious effect by comedian Ronny Chieng, may have waxed his moustaches and cut a fine figure with his gold-topped cane.
But for all his braggadocio about his exceptional observational skills, Sun is as much a bumbler as he is a brainstrust. And so when a fellow passenger turns up dead under mysterious circumstances, it falls to our eight-legged friend to scurry around the tiny crime scene, shaking out clues from every nook and cranny.
Thus begins a madcap whodunnit that sees Sun crossed with an eclectic cast of insectoid suspects, each with their own shady motivations and means of offending the unlucky victim. Aiding—or more often impeding—his efforts is the amateur sleuth’s number one fan, the exuberant jumping spider Janey, along with a sinister old nemesis lurking in the shadows. Through mishaps, false leads, and more than a few pratfalls, Sun must puzzle out the method, motive, and murderer behind this mid-air mystery. All while keeping one leg firmly on the ground of his latest vacation plans.
Director Julio Soto Gúrpide and writer Rocco Pucillo serve up a fun, family-friendly riff on the Golden Age mysteries of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Translating those tropes through a bug-sized lens brings a fresh twist to the whodunnit genre. Yet for all its visual charms and comical character moments, Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow can’t quite close the deal as a truly satisfying mystery romp.
Life Among the Six-Legged
Inspector Soto Gurpide has crafted an insect universe that feels lived in, with the human world hovering intriguingly in the shadows. The insect characters live full lives within planes, hotels, and other human structures reimagined down to their size. It’s a setting that feels familiar yet fresh, seen through a new lens.
Character designs play into this worldbuilding cleverly. Inspector Sun stands tall on seven legs, dressed to the nines, with waxed moustaches adding to his pose. Others echo real-world insects, from flickering dragonflies to sinister spiders. Their abilities bring humor too; the sun’s sluggish walking canes contrast with the smooth flight of flies. Action sees web- shoots or swarms carrying characters like mobs.
At the heart of it all is Inspector Sun himself. Voiced with puffed-up pomposity by Ronny Chieng, Sun believes firmly in his own brilliance. This arrogance makes for funny misses yet risks wearing thin. As the case progresses, Sun softens some, learning from the enthused Janey that teamwork has its place. Their dynamic works best by injecting lightness into an otherwise self-important lead.
Janey proves an energetic sidekick, though her constant chattering grates on Sun. Such supportive roles are often thankless, but young viewers will find an adventurous spirit in her. Janey inserts much-needed perspective for children navigating the mystery alongside her. Her eager aid to Sun shows how teamwork conquers where going it alone fails—a heartening lesson.
In short, while far from flawless, the world of Inspector Sun stimulates imagination. Young minds will dive into its mystery gladly, guided by the unlikely duo of Inspector Sun and his biggest fan, Janey.
Mystery in Miniature
The central mystery at the heart of Inspector Sun revolves around the murder of a wealthy businessman named Dr. Spindelthorp. Early on, the good doctor receives ominous threats against his life. Inspector Sun, ever confident in his detecting abilities, waves off the concerns. But tragically, Spindelthorp soon turns up dead—bitten by an unknown assailant.
With this initial murder, the film aims to evoke classic whodunit tales. And it does establish some intrigue surrounding the various suspects on board the plane. But unfortunately, the mystery feels a touch superficial. We’re given minimal insight into the victim, losing opportunities to develop motives for the different characters. As the story progresses, it struggles to present viable alternatives, making the culprit’s identity rather obvious to deduce early on.
This is partly where the film also falters in fleshing out Sun’s relationship with the true villain. As we learn, they share a bitter history. Yet their climax together feels rushed, lacking the personal stakes it could have had. We see the villain’s malevolent scheme but learn little of what drove them to such darkness. A deeper dive into their past may have crafted a more emotionally fulfilling resolution.
And while the grand finale ticks boxes as an energetic action set piece, it winds up prioritizing explosions over the cerebral unveiling innate to classic whodunnit storytelling. Whereas genres like Agatha Christie’s tales build to a climactic moment of revelation, Inspector Sun wraps up its mystery prematurely. What follows instead is a CGI-filled battle diverting attention from tying up investigative threads.
So in the end, while Inspector Sun establishes an interesting miniature world and a likable hero, its mystery plotline feels like one of the weaker elements. With a bit more development of motives, red herrings, and truly deceptive culprits, it could have spun a much craftier yarn to keep viewers guessing until the very end.
Mysteries for the Miniature Mind
Inspector Sun explores some fun themes and pulls inspiration from some great sources. At its heart, the story pits Inspector Sun’s individualistic spirit against the Red Locust’s views of hive mentality.
Sun takes pride in working alone, relying on his own skills instead of a team. But by the end, he realizes the value of companionship. This theme of individualism versus collectivism will resonate with many kids. After all, we’ve all felt torn between going it alone or joining the crowd at some point.
The flies influence is also clear. From Sun’s Poirot-esque moustache and mannerisms to the Pink Panther-style comedy antics, this movie pays homage. Children may not recognize these classic sources, but they will enjoy the humor they inspire.
Translating influences for family audiences isn’t easy. Some fine-tuning is needed to make sophisticated ideas accessible to youth. Inspector Sun strives to educate through entertainment, introducing kids to rich detective traditions in a fun package.
On the whole, it succeeds by keeping explanations simple without dumbing down the content. The mystery gives children a mental challenge to puzzle over the clues. Young minds stay engaged when learning doesn’t feel like a lesson.
Entertaining kids means balancing lighthearted fun with food for thought. Inspector Sun serves up whodunit thrills with teachable moments about teamwork and individual strength. Its miniature mysteries allow growing minds to flex their deductive muscles in a delightful setting.
Worlds Within Worlds
The animation quality in Inspector Sun is really something. The insect characters feel so realistic in how they move; you can see each individual leg scuttling around. And the attention to detail, from the folds in Sun’s suit to the fuzz on Janey’s back, really pulls you into their miniature world.
It’s also neat how the film depicts the human-sized spaces the bugs inhabit. Their plane is like a tiny apartment inside our airplane. Everything is scaled down but still detailed, from the furnishings to the food on the dinner plates. Seeing this tiny insect world within our own is part of what makes their detective story so engaging.
Where the visuals really shine is where the human and insect realms intersect. My favorite scene shows bugs dropping into a woman’s purse on the plane. She freaks out in a hilarious over-the-top way while the insects are just like, “Ugh, a human!” Playing with perspectives like this adds humor while respecting that both worlds exist parallel to each other.
The animation avoids distracting complexities to stay family-friendly. It’s creative, but not too intricate for young eyes. Combined with the fun characters and lighthearted mystery plot, the visuals draw you into Sun’s case without scary or confusing elements. Overall, the quality artwork and imaginative worlds help tell an entertaining insect-sized story that both kids and adults can appreciate.
Finding the Fun and Flaws
Inspector Sun had some really fun ideas that I think kids could enjoy. I liked how they built this whole separate insect world that exists alongside ours—that’s such a cool concept! Having the characters be bugs living their lives on a tiny scale within human spaces like the airplane was really clever. It makes for some humorous interactions as the two worlds intersect. Plus, kids probably think it’s just neat to see how the bugs live and move around.
I also thought there was potential for humor in Sun’s character. The way he fancies himself as this great detective but keeps messing things up could lead to some funny scenes. And his over-the-top arrogance, along with his cluelessness, was set up to be entertaining. Ronny Chieng’s voice acting brought charm to the role that could have shined through more.
Where Inspector Sun fell short, in my opinion, was in the follow-through. The beginning grabbed your attention with its fun worldbuilding, but then things kind of lost their way. The plot got convoluted trying to tie everything together, and it felt rushed at times. I never really got a good sense of who the characters were besides surface-level traits too. Sun’s arc about proving himself needed more development.
And I think some jokes tried so hard to be looney that they lost what could have been clever, subtle humor. Plus, the resolution was pretty disappointing after building up the mystery. It just didn’t stick to the landing.
So in the end, Inspector Sun showed a lot of potential to spark kids’ imaginations and deliver laughs. The pieces were there for an enjoyable family film. But it seemed like the execution stumbled while trying to balance education and pure entertainment. With a tighter script and more character depth, this movie could have been a bigger success. The world and the lead actor offered foundations to build something great. It’s a shame they weren’t fully realized.
With some polish in key areas like plot and characters, Inspector Sun or something similar could really hit that sweet spot. The detective/mystery genre has the potential to engage both kids and parents. With luck, future films will learn from examples of what worked and didn’t here.
Finding the Fun for Families
Inspector Sun has its moments that make it suitable for most elementary school kids. The mystery elements aren’t too scary or grim, and kids will find amusement in the silly humor and bug hijinks. Young ones, in particular, may get a kick out of seeing this whole separate insect world within their own.
At the same time, some parents may find a few scenes too gross for little viewers’ tastes. And the jokes tend to be more slapstick than clever. So I’d say ages 6–9 would probably get the most entertainment from it. Any younger parts may bother them, while older kids might find it juvenile.
As for achieving worthwhile family viewing, Inspector Sun succeeds at keeping kids engaged but doesn’t fully satisfy. It provides a fun way for families to bond over mystery-solving together. Yet the weak characters and rushed story mean adults won’t feel very fulfilled.
There’s potential there, with Inspector Sun’s creative concept and some charming moments. But issues like a messy plot, one-note characters, and reliance on crude rather than clever humor hold it back. It’s passable family fare if you go in with reasonable expectations, but it doesn’t warrant high praise.
If you and your kids simply want to spend 90 minutes speculating together over clues and laughing at silly antics, Inspector Sun can deliver light enjoyment. Just don’t expect a cinematic masterpiece. With some polish in key areas, a sequel or similar project could be a real hit. As an initial foray, it’s an okay way to introduce mystery fun for family movie night.
The Review
Inspector Sun
Inspector Sun shows glimpses of charm and inventiveness, particularly in its imaginative insect world building. However, shortcomings like thin characters, choppy storytelling, and reliance on crude over clever humor hold it back from fully delightful family entertainment. As an introduction to mystery for youngsters, it sufficiently keeps things light and inoffensive. But kids and parents alike may find little to stick with them after the credits roll.
PROS
- Creative concept of a separate insect world
- Humorous interactions between the insect and human realms
- Visually distinctive insect character designs
- A few genuinely funny moments
CONS
- One-dimensional, irritating characters
- The plot is convoluted and rushed.
- Over-reliance on lowbrow, gross-out humor
- Weak storytelling and a lack of character development
- Missed opportunities for clever dialogue and jokes
