Inner Demons: A Review of Ryan

       Something is inherently unsettling about Chris Landreth’s Ryan (2004); no, I’m not talking about the striking animation, though it is nonetheless frightening to view at times. What was initially off-putting to me about the film (Omitted “as I first viewed it”) was its success in using a defragmented humanoid of an avatar to portray such a haunting and realistic performance. The audio performance delivered by master animator Ryan Larkin provides a strong, yet broken voice for a deeply troubled man. Though a simple premise for a movie, the way it is presented is unparalleled with anything that I have ever seen in the medium of film.

      Chris Landreth serves as the film’s narrator, and the initial scene provides us with a brief background for Chris as well as an introduction to the film’s surreal animation style. Meant to portray his inner mental wounds, Chris samples some of his scars to the audience. We are then taken into a droll cafeteria, whose inhabitants look depressed and deflated. It is clear that the animation here is meant not so much to showcase what we look like on the outside, but rather the appearance of our inner psyche as a direct result of the varying experiences of life. The most disfigured of any of the character models would be that of Ryan himself. Chris greets his interviewee, who initially appears to be nothing more than a botched animation job, a glitch in the system. However, we quickly see through the interview and through Larkin’s words that this is a result of the troubled life that he lived.

      Using real audio from an interview between Landreth and Larkin was a very intelligent choice; hearing the interview directly from the source makes it all the more impactful. If one were to listen to solely the audio of the interview, as if they were tuning in on the radio, it would without a doubt be intriguing. However, the addition of the animation makes for a more lasting and more resonant experience. The surreal and unique style of this animation leaves viewers with a host of different emotions, making it all the more impactful. Prsenting it in such a surreal, original manner is what makes it so impactful. What Landreth achieves in his animation is astounding; most animators try to avoid making their art frightening and unpleasant to look at, but Landreth’s refusal to shy away from this gritty, broken style achieves some of the most realistic animation ever produced. Granted, these characters obviously do not reflect how humans look, but it is more about how we can visibly see the way the characters have been affected. One very important aspect of the film not to be undermined is the understated musical score. Its sparse usage works well to keep the interview at the center of attention.

      Ryan’s story is an intriguing one, and Landreth knows this; the short length of the film if practically begging the audience to go home and do their own research on the film’s title character. That being said, I almost wish that we were given just a bit more, as Larkin’s life has plenty of fascinating moments. That is a small gripe for an otherwise captivating work of art. Ryan is not something that I would normally have watched, yet I am very glad that I did. Its’ uniqueness and simplicity is something that will resonate with me for years to come.

Works Cited

Ryan. Dir. Chris Landreth. Perf. Chris Landreth and Ryan Larkin. Copper Heart Entertainment, 2004. DVD.