The Inventor Review: An Innovative But Flawed Search For The Artist's Soul

Who better than Leonardo da Vinci to be the subject of a warm and inviting animated film about trying to find meaning in life? "The Inventor" explores the old age of the legendary artist and inventor as he becomes obsessed with his search for the human soul, blending traditional 2D animation with playful stop-motion reminiscent of 1960s holiday specials. It has an interesting concept but a very meandering narrative that makes it feel like it might have been better off as a tightly executed 30-minute short — even at just over 90 minutes long, "The Inventor" is creative but has a tendency to drag.

You don't need to be a genius to see it — Leonardo da Vinci's (Stephen Fry) talents are wasted in the papal court. With the despotic Pope Leo X (Matt Berry) effectively serving as his patron, his creative efforts are stymied. Rather than pursue inventions that might actually benefit humanity, he is prodded to create weapons for the Papal States to use against their enemies, his intellectual inclinations regarded with utmost suspicion by the pope. And all of this is to say nothing of his nighttime grave-robbing activities, when he secretly conducts autopsies to better understand how the human body works, a taboo and entirely forbidden practice in Renaissance Italy.

When da Vinci meets the young, energetic King Francis I of France (Gauthier Battoue) — a man delighted by his scientific experiments — he allows himself to dream of a life with Francis as his patron, where he would be encouraged to think and experiment and invent to his heart's desire. So naturally, when he is invited to journey to France, he delightedly accepts. But in doing so, has he merely traded one irrational and impulsive master for another?

"The Inventor" was clearly a labor of love for its creators, and its animation work is an immediate highlight of the film. The characters — especially the antagonistic ones, like Pope Leo X — are rendered with a delightful sense of humor that makes them engaging from their very first appearances. It blends two different animation styles perfectly, transitioning from crude stop-motion figures in the reality of da Vinci's day-to-day life to a more abstract 2D animation to reflect his imaginative musings as he contemplates the soul. Stephen Fry and Daisy Ridley (as King Francis' intelligent and imaginative sister Marguerite) are the most recognizable of the voice cast, but supporting characters steal the show. Gauthier Battoue imbues the character of King Francis with energy and good humor, winning over audiences immediately even as he infuriates da Vinci with his lack of vision and single-minded obsession with building a monument to himself.

The film does an excellent job of representing da Vinci's struggles as a man whose true genius isn't fully appreciated by the powerful figures of the day. At times, it feels as though he's singlehandedly dragging European civilization into the future. The film is at its best when it finds opportunities to showcase his uniquely forward-thinking worldview, like when he creates a cinematic argument (an unusual case of animation within animation) for why it's a bad idea to supply the pope with more technologically advanced weapons, illustrating the endless cycle of escalation that accompanies an arms race. But once da Vinci arrives in France — more specifically, once he realizes that this royal court may not be more receptive to his particular brand of scientific research — things slow to a crawl. Like Leonardo, the film is just killing time.

A bigger issue for "The Inventor" is that it doesn't seem to quite know who it's for. The character design seems aimed squarely at children, as do its musical numbers and its general aesthetic. But it also features some heady soul-searching that might go beyond what kids are looking for in their entertainment — it's easy to imagine them becoming bored of the political intrigue among da Vinci, the Pope, and King Francis, to say nothing of the artist's philosophical musings, which are at the heart of the film. Too intellectually complex and existential for children, yet too simplistic and unfocused for adults — it feels as though "The Inventor" doesn't quite meet the needs of either demographic.

Despite this, there is some magic held within it. "The Inventor" has a truly gorgeous animation style, one that is perfectly accompanied by its enchanting score from Alex Mandel. Although it suffers from a meandering and listless second act, it does justice to Leonardo da Vinci in all his endlessly inventive glory as he searches for meaning in the world around him. The voice talent in "The Inventor" helps elevate likable characters into genuinely memorable ones. The end result is a charming — and yes, inventive – film, although not a flawless one.

"The Inventor" will hit theaters on September 15.

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being covered here wouldn't exist.