Swapped is a sky dance animation buddy comedy drama about two sworn animal enemies-a curious pookoo named Ollie and a Javan named Ivy. When a magical orb mishap swaps their bodies, they must learn empathy and work together to reverse the curse before their forest is destroyed.
The movie is set in a vibrant fantasy ecosystem known as The valley. Decades before, the ‘em realm was protected by magical orbs of peace but they were shattered following the destruction caused by a fire wolf. Without the orbs to maintain unity, a drop-seated rivalry grew between the pookoos and the javans.
Ollie is a highly curious and inventive pookoo.
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As a child, he innocently shared his food supply with a Javan, which resulted in a massive swarm of javans raiding the pookoo’s harvest. This incident birthed a generations-long resentment and as an adult Ollie is determined to drive the javans out of the valley to protect his species’ limited food source.
Years later, a heroic and confident Javan named Ivy crosses paths with Ollie in a forbidden zone as both seek to secure halves of a restorative magical orb. When they both reach for the relics, the magic activates and swaps their bodies.
Ollie finds himself awkwardly in feathers, while Ivy is forced to navigate the world in furry, four-legged form.
To reverse the curse, the two sworn enemies are forced to team up and trek across the valley to find the remaining scattered pieces of the magical orb. Along the way, they are joined by a lonely, unconditional river fish named Bougal.
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As Ollie lives life as a Javan and Ivy adjusts to life as pookoo, they are forced to experience the daily struggles, threats and loneliness of their “enemy’s” existence. Through this forced perspective, the initial frustration and mistrust turn into deep empathy and respect. They realize that their species’ mutual hatred only threatens their collective survival.
Ultimately, the newly formed trio must unite their strengths to combat larger, ecosystem-level threats facing the valley. By combining their unique abilities and using the understanding they gained from stepping into each other’s shoes, they complete the magical orb.
The spell is reversed, returning Ollie and Ivy to their rightful bodies. The journey ends not just with a returning physical status quo, but with a newly forged alliance, successfully bridging the centuries-old gap between the pookoos and the Javans.
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Directed by: Nathan Greno
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer, Justina Machado
Running time: 98 minutes
Watch movie trailer here:
