Turning Red Has Screened, Here’s What People Are Saying About The Upcoming Movie From Disney And Pixar

Turning Red is the latest offering from Disney and Pixar, telling the story of Meilin Lee, a 13-year-old navigating the awkward world of being a young teenager. The kicker? When she gets excited or nervous, Mei turns into a giant red panda. The trailer gave us strong Teen Wolf vibes, but now critics have had the chance to screen Turning Red and are sharing their first reactions on social media.

Rosalie Chiang voices Mei, leading a cast that includes Sandra Oh as Mei’s mother, and Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Hyein Park as Mei’s friends. Set for a March 11 release, this movie is skipping theaters and going straight to Disney+. While both Soul and Luca were released the same way, the announcement still caused some disappointment for Pixar’s staffers. Let’s take a look at the first reactions from Turning Red.  

CinemaBlend's own Sean O'Connell acknowledges that he is not the target audience for Turning Red, but says the movie exhausted him, which is a fair reaction any time puberty and boy bands are the topic of conversation.

Tessa Smith of Mama's Geeky relates with both Mei and her mother in Turning Red. She says the movie is heartwarming and, no surprises here, it sounds like this one's going to be a tearjerker.

Jazz Tangcay of Variety says this movie is going to make Rosalie Chiang a star, and also noted the catchy soundtrack. Many of the first reactions mention the fictitious boy band 4*Town, and there's a good reason those songs are getting stuck in your head  — they were written by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas.

Many who were able to screen Turning Red ahead of its Disney+ release are commenting on the animation style that blends East and West cultures. Pixar actually created new technology for this movie to help bring diversity into every scene. Critic Michael Lee calls the movie "visually stunning," and praises it for not shying away from the messiness of adolescence.

Laura Sirikul connects with Turning Red on a stronger level than she expected. She relates to Mei as an Asian woman, and like so many, she loves the boy bands.

Simon Thompson gives the latest Pixar offering a chef's kiss for its heart and sensitivity. He says there are lessons to be found for everyone in Mei's journey.

Most of those who were able to screen the film seem to think this is another win for Disney and Pixar. Along with its relatable story and captivating soundtrack, Turning Red also features beautiful animation and brings the emotion, according to these reactions.

Turning Red will be available for streaming exclusively on Disney+ on March 11. In the meantime, check out these other movies on Disney+, as well as our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what else is coming soon.

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Heidi Venable
Content Producer

Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.