Swapped brings viewers into a fantastical world where creatively colorful animals keep to their own. But when two of these critters touch a magical pod that transforms them into the other’s species, they must learn how to work together and better understand each other to change back. Swapped comes with general peril and a magical flower alongside messages of compassion and understanding.
The Pookoo have one rule: hide today, alive tomorrow.
The small chipmunk-like critters were, for a long time, relatively safe on their island in the middle of the valley’s river. There were few predators and plenty of piplet seeds for them to eat.
But Ollie isn’t like the other Pookoo. He’s burdened with the desire to see the wonderful world around him and to interact with its creatures. That’s why Ollie chose to introduce himself to a bird-like Javan. Although the Javan couldn’t understand Ollie, he was able to teach the creature how to open the pods that hold piplet seeds so that it could fill its hungry belly.
But then the Javan called the rest of its kind. The Javans descended upon the Pookoo island in droves, eating every piplet seed they could get their beaks on. And the Pookoo were left to hide underground and scrounge for the Javans’ scraps. With winter coming and food dwindling, it won’t be long before the Pookoo starve.
“What’s that saying? Curiosity killed the cat?” Ollie muses. “Well, I don’t know what a cat is, but my curiosity definitely doomed the Pookoo.”
But Ollie’s curiosity also makes him stumble upon something else. While trying to shoo away the Javans, one of them attacks, sending Ollie plummeting down into a hole and onto a strange, purple plant pod.
When Ollie comes to, he realizes he’s been transformed into a Javan. And not long after that, he finds that his Javan attacker, Ivy, has been turned into a Pookoo. And strangely, they can understand what the other is saying—as well as the words of every other animal in the valley.
Ollie recalls the stories his family used to tell him of the Dvo, the peaceful, orchard-topped elephants who vanished from the valley after the evil Firewolf drove them away with his flames and teeth. It was said that the Dvo grew magical, glowing plant pods that could change animals into other animals. Ollie and Ivy discern that they likely discovered the remnant of one such pod. And a knowledgeable, helpful fish named Boogle informs them that there may very well be more pods still left in the valley.
Finding one of those purple pods can’t come soon enough: Ollie wants nothing more than to be a Pookoo again, and Ivy cannot wait to transform back into her own kind, too. Begrudgingly, they’ll have to work together to find another pod.
But they may just learn something about each other before that time comes.
Swapped is an extreme example of “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.” The core message of the film is a lesson in empathy: Ollie and Ivy dislike each other and keep to their own kinds, believing that anyone who is not like them must be dangerous or villainous by default. They even have examples of how the Javans and Pookoo have wronged each other in the past. But after they swap species and begin to talk, Ollie and Ivy come to appreciate one another. And they realize their dislike has been built upon misunderstanding.
After an early argument between Ollie and Ivy, a character warns the duo to make up and learn to work together, telling them that splitting up and going it alone can lead to dark places. “What I mean is, it makes you really appreciate why we need each other,” he says. Soon after, a trial shows the two how they can accomplish more through working together.
When Ollie and Ivy inevitably learn to team up, they likewise compel the rest of the valley to think about other species, too. Much like themselves, most of the creatures here only care about their own, but Ollie and Ivy rally the animals to assist those different from them.
Despite the danger, Ollie chooses to rescue a creature that previously had tried to kill him. The action motivates the critter to have a change of heart and join Ollie’s cause. Likewise, Ollie and Ivy risk their lives to save each other.
The Dzo are spoken of with reverence. They grow the “magical, glowing pods” that transform animals into other animals—also giving that animal the ability to speak to and understand the speech of all other species. These pods play an important role in the story, and they grow atop a web of neuron-like roots, within which we can see something like electricity zapping through. At one point, Ollie uses these roots to communicate a message, and the Dzo themselves respond to him.
The Pookoo use occasional and general religious language: They state they are “blessed with our Pookoo nose,” “celebrating to give thanks for the harvest” and “fortunate to have all of [the harvest].”
[Spoiler Warning] Christians may be able to connect a biblical message to the tale, too: At the movie’s climax, the Firewolf threatens to burn the entire valley to the ground, but Ollie sacrifices himself to defeat the Firewolf, plunging into the depths of a river alongside the wolf while bringing peace to the valley. For a time, those for whom he died think him dead, but Ollie returns, former predators begin feasting on fruit rather than flesh, and the Dzo bow to Ollie.
None.
Ollie, Ivy and a number of other critters narrowly avoid getting eaten by predators a number of times. At one point, Ivy gets trapped in the jaws of a beast and shaken around before getting thrown to the side. A flood of water sweeps away some creatures. A slapstick moment shows Ivy accidentally slamming an unconscious Ollie’s head into rocks.
We see freeze frames of three unfortunate animals moments before they’re snapped up in the jaws of the Firewolf. We’re told the Firewolf killed four Dzo, and we see some of their bodies throughout the movie. (Though given that the dead Dzo look like tree bark, these moments aren’t too dark.)
After being told about the Firewolf’s carnage, a young Ollie seems unimpressed: “Where’s the blood and guts? And where’s the gore?” he asks. “What if the Firewolf rips apart the pinecone hedgehogs and feasts on their entrails? That would be awesome!” This outburst disturbs his parents.
Nothing worse than a single use of “idiot” and the British interjection “sodding.”
None.
At one point, to avoid detection by a predator, a character smears dung on Ollie. While this happens offscreen, we later watch as Ollie washes off the stuff. When Ollie explains that he is a Pookoo, Ivy scoffs: “Do you guys realize it’s got ‘poo’ in the name?”
A couple of the valley’s creatures may be frightening to very young moviegoers, such as some deadly snakes and wolves.
From the director of Tangled comes another movie where events are set into motion by the power of a magical little plant.
Skydance Animation isn’t known for putting out animated films on the same level as Disney, Pixar, Sony or DreamWorks, but Swapped’s colorful look and storyline are reminiscent of that classic feel from those more prominent studios. The picture comes with stellar animation and creatively fantastical animal design. (Except, perhaps, the dung beetle; while all other animals get a creative makeover here, this guy’s still just a simple beetle.)
While Swapped wasn’t exactly on our big-family-movies radar, it proved to be a rather enjoyable surprise. Its core premise explores the age-old adage of “walk a mile in their shoes” by use of the body-swap genre. The movie’s positive message will be something kids and adults alike can appreciate.
Content, likewise, stays rather tame. Outside some general fang-baring peril (and a couple of frightening critters for the youngest viewers), there is little to worry over. Yes, like Tangled, a magical plant comes into play—the cause of the transformation our characters unwillingly undergo. But the plot device plays solely for the true aim Swapped hopes to foster: a greater sense of understanding, compassion and selflessness within its audience.
And many parents will hope those attributes get “swapped” into their kids.
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He’s also an avid cook. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
