Fixed is a new film coming to Netflix August 13th. The film is directed by Genndy Tartakovsky and co-written by Tartakovsky & Jon Vitti, the film stars Adam Devine, Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, Fred Armisen, Bobby Moynihan, Beck Bennett, Michelle Buteau, and River Gallo. Bull, an average, all-around good dog discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning! As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realizes he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends as these are the last 24 hours with his balls! What could go wrong…?
I’m not exactly sure what compelled me to add this to my watchlist. I didn’t realize all the works that Genndy Tartakovsky made before were stuff that I was already familiar with. When the Sony logo first appeared in the beginning of the film, I was surprised as KPop Demon Hunters recently came out and that was a huge hit, so I was expecting the same thing. As it turns out, Warner Bros. and New Line decided to not release as part of cost-saving measures, which lead the distribution rights back to Sony Pictures Animation where Netflix would eventually release it. Believe it or not, even Netflix initially didn’t want to release this. I really do think this film will have its fan base. I am nowhere near that fan base.
I hate ripping a film to shreds, especially animated movies. I know how hard it is to make a movie, but I have never been a part of making an animated movie. I suppose that would admittedly make me a hypocrite. At the same time, the animation is quite good and worth watching. I can tell where the animation team put their heart & soul into making a movie unlike anything else. For that, I am glad the animation team finally get to have their work out there available for so many people to see on the most popular streaming service.
On top of all that, I am glad to see Genndy Tartakovsky finally get this movie released. The story was initially conceived back in 2009 where Tartakovsky applied his own personal experiences into the film. 16 years later is a long time and it’s nice to see where the filmmaker finally got to see his vision out there, no matter if it was bad or good. I know, for me, that would be satisfying to defy all odds and have the picture out there. While the film wasn’t for me, who knows… maybe Tartakovsky may be on to something for Netflix. Maybe this is a film that will do better than I expect it to. I didn’t expect KPop Demon Hunters to blow up the way it did. We’ll know here in a few weeks.
The film does open on a nice start to the main character, Bull. While the editing does look a bit outdated, especially for a film that was meant to be theatrically released, there was something endearing in the opening minutes that left me hopeful for what’s to come. I couldn’t be more wrong. Instead, the film immediately throws you right into the crude humor for no reason. It reminded me of the humor my friends and I would laugh about entering our teenage years. Maybe that speaks to how Tartakovsky wanted to present this story and what life was like for him and his friends. For others, it’s going to be incredibly hard for them to connect with.
The film is pretty much crude from there on out until the very end. There is some insanely gross things that happen that is far from funny. The animals don’t even act like real animals. It’s hard to understand what kind of world these pets live in. At least Strays made more sense. The middle portion does drag the film out to the point where it made me seriously believe this could have either been a short or maybe even a TV series. Tartakovsky does have experience in that medium. The third act, however, is horrible. What happens is a spoiler, so I will keep the details vague. What I saw honestly may be triggering for others. Instead, the film plays it off as a joke. Don’t be surprised if this scene causes an uproar when it releases on Netflix.
Above all else, I am actually most surprised by the cast the film has. Adam DeVine can be quite good with the right material. This isn’t it. The line delivery from everyone just made it seem like they were playing iterations of themselves instead of giving us any sort of reason to care for the characters. The film does have an impressive cast, but I seriously need to question what Idris Elba is doing. The guy is one of the most talented actors working today, but continues to put himself in things like this. I need to know if this is his choosing or his manager’s choosing.
Considering the film initially meant to be released in theaters, I was appalled by the music selection. Instead of giving the film its own identity, it plays through outdated funk music. It feels intentional to help us get into the humor more. Instead, it comes off cheap and rushed. With Tyler Bates running music on this, I am surprised by the end result.
Overall, Fixed may finds it audience. I am not in that audience. It is crude, shocking, and unfunny. There is outdated material that feels more fitting as a kid learning more about the real world. As an adult animated comedy, I struggled to identify or laugh with it. At least everyone involved finally gets to see the final product out there. Can’t be too mad about that.
VERDICT: 1.5/5 (Very Bad)
The Creative Cinematic Collection 
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