Eight Below

If you want animation that is not just for kids, Eight Below is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. A harder one to justify skipping than to start. Start it on Disney Plus whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Eight Below is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Eight Below treats animation as a medium, not a limitation. In the Antarctic, after an expedition with Dr. Davis McClaren, the sled dog trainer Jerry Shepherd has to leave the polar base with his colleagues due to the proximity of a heavy snow storm. He ties his dogs to be rescued after, but the mission is called-off and the dogs are left alone at their own fortune. Paul Walker and Moon Bloodgood lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2006. The visual gags in Eight Below reward close attention without ever depending on it. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you have been sleeping on Eight Below because of the format, the format is not the issue here. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. The writing operates at a level the format's reputation does not fully prepare you for. Adult animation that actually works for adults.