Leonardo Da Vinci Uncovers The Meaning Of Life In The Inventor
We all know Leonardo Da Vinci as the man who famously painted The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper during the Renaissance Era. He brought forward ideas that challenged the church and thus transformed the new age of thinking. The new animated film The Inventor, starring the voices of Stephen Fry, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, Gauthier Battoue, and Matt Berry, takes you on Da Vinci’s journey with whimsical songs and dance as he sets out to discover the meaning of life.
Director Jim Capobianco made the intentional choice to use both stop-motion puppet and hand-drawn animations to illustrate Da Vinci’s world like the craftsman he was. As someone who appreciates the art of stop-motion with films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, and Corpse Bride, I couldn’t get over how sweet the animation was throughout the film. From the bits of Italian phrases to the beautiful, tranquil color scheme, this film drew me into the life of Leonardo da Vinci.
The Inventor takes place in 1516 Italy where Da Vinci’s work is questioned by Pope Leo X. While he tries to explain his ideas are something everyone should consider, The Pope makes a deal with Da Vinci by making him build a peace offering and, if he is successful, he may continue his other work. But Da Vinci’s work is too important to him as he hasn’t received the answer to what the meaning of life is yet. Every time Da Vinci takes flight on his wing invention, in a hand-drawn animation scene, he comes close to finding the human soul. Then a giant, black figure — presumably death, as the figure tries to kill Da Vinci — comes after him and he returns to the real world. These scenes had me on the edge of my seat.
After inventing a intricate mechanical lion for the Pope, King Francis (Gauthier Battoue) is enamored by the invention and soon invites Da Vinci to France after Guiliano de Medici’s (John Gilkey) death in Italy. Da Vinci and his workers — the charming Francesco Melzi (Angelino Sandri) and quiet thief Zoroastro — continue their efforts in private as King Francis demands inventions of war to intimidate the other kings of Europe. As the King demands more and Louise de Savoy (Marion Cotillard) insists he serve the King’s every need, Da Vinci can no longer take it and falls ill in a powerful sentiment: “No one wants to know the truth.”
The most important relationship in the film is between Da Vinci and Princess Marguerite de Navarre (Daisy Ridley) who he shares most of his ideas for the kingdom with as she understands and is excited by them. Their friendship goes stronger as the film progresses and they share in their curiosity and faith. Princess Marguerite treated Da Vinci with such kindness and grace to help give the overlooked craftsmen a chance to be apart of something greater.
When Melzi forces a bed-ridden Da Vinci to watch as Princess Marguerite shows young girls a seed that transforms into a tree, it is at this moment that Da Vinci realizes he was looking at the answer to his burdening question. The true meaning of life is to share one’s passion with another.
In his deep need for help, King Francis finally listens to Da Vinci on how to bring peace. As Da Vinci plans to showcase a play about the sun starring King Francis, the king soon realizes he is not meant to be the sun but rather Da Vinci is. In his farewell, Da Vinci tells Melzi and Zoroastro, “Remember a life well spent is long,” before he ascends into the sky, dressed as the sun, where he will finally rest. It was such a bittersweet ending that perfectly captured the important message of this film.
All the characters in this film possess unique personalities and its interesting to see how they interact with Da Vinci. Two stand out characters were Gravedigger Jean (John Gilkey) and Jeanne (Jane Osborn). They are the cutest couple as they get so caught up in their love and jokes that they fail to realize the bodies go missing before it’s too late. I also loved when Da Vinci reaches the soul and is completely joyous, running around, and laughing after being so terribly ill.
The Inventor shows us that Leonardo Da Vinci was a man of many talents and wisdoms that often went overlooked during his time. Through his trials and tribulations, Da Vinci managed to serve his purpose on Earth. The film had me laughing, smiling, bopping my head, singing along, and, yes, even shedding a tear towards the end. Let’s give Alex Mandel his flowers for composing such a beautiful soundtrack that captured the ambiance and amplified emotions out of the screen.
The Inventor is out now in theaters.
