Norm of the North


Norm of the North is a 2016 computer-animated comedy adventure film directed by Trevor Wall and written by Daniel R. Altiere, Steven M. Altiere, and Malcolm T. Goldman. It features the voices of Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Colm Meaney, Loretta Devine, Gabriel Iglesias, Michael McElhatton, and Bill Nighy, and is an international co-production of the United States, India, and Ireland. The UK version of the film features the voice of James Corden instead of Michael McElhatton. It was produced by Assemblage Entertainment, Splash Entertainment and Telegael, and distributed by Lionsgate.
The film was theatrically released on January 15, 2016, and grossed $30 million on an $18 million budget. The film was panned by critics and audiences for its animation, plot, characters, writing, voice acting and humor. It temporarily held a rating of 0% on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. There are three direct-to-DVD sequels: Norm of the North: Keys to the Kingdom, released January 11, 2019, Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure, released June 11, 2019, and Norm of the North: Family Vacation, released February 25, 2020.

Plot

Norm the polar bear is the son of the King of the Arctic. In his youth, he discovers that he has the ability to speak to humans, a trait shared only by his grandfather. Because of this, he is made an outcast from the other animals, only being accepted by Socrates, a wise seagull, and Elizabeth, a female polar bear whom Norm is in love with.
Years later, Norm's grandfather has disappeared and human tourists are filling the Arctic. Socrates shows Norm and three Arctic lemmings a luxury condo that has been installed on the ice. Inside this condo is Vera, a representative for wealthy developer Mr. Greene. After Norm saves Vera from an avalanche, Mr. Greene tells her to find an actor to play a polar bear for their campaign. Socrates convinces Norm and the lemmings to stow away on a ship to New York City.
In the city, Norm, pretending to be an actor dressed as a bear, auditions for Mr. Greene's commercial and is taken to dinner by Vera. Greene, who realizes that Norm is a real bear, suspects that Norm has come to free his grandfather, whom Greene has captured. During a public incident involving Greene trying to shoot Norm with a tranquilizer gun in the restaurant, Norm subdues Greene, gaining the attention of the media and heightening Greene's approval ratings. Greene decides to hire Norm as his mascot.
Before going on a television show, Norm meets Vera's daughter Olympia, who tells Norm to raise Greene's approval ratings and then speak out against him to save the Arctic. Norm's popularity heightens the approval ratings, but Greene sabotages Norm's plan by playing recorded dialogue stating that Norm supports Greene's developments.
Defeated, Norm is comforted by Vera and Olympia, who reveals that Greene is developing more homes to install in the Arctic. Norm and the lemmings discover that Greene is bribing a high-ranking member of the Polar Council, and exposes this to Pablo, one of Greene's investors. Vera resigns her position and is hired by Pablo, while Norm and the lemmings chase the truck holding the houses.
Greene sends another truck carrying Norm's grandfather, and Norm is captured as well. After being freed by the lemmings, Norm and his grandfather catch up to the boat carrying the houses to the Arctic, and are able to detach the houses. However, Norm is separated from his grandfather and the lemmings, and is knocked unconscious.
Norm awakens in the Arctic and is reunited with the lemmings and the other animals, who reveal that his grandfather was not found. Because of his heroism, Norm is crowned the King of the Arctic, but not before his grandfather arrives at the ceremony. Meanwhile, Mr. Greene is humiliated after his plan is exposed, and Vera and Olympia are happy with Pablo as their new boss, while Norm and Elizabeth have three cubs together.

Cast and characters

Two mobile apps were released to promote the film as well as four clips on Lionsgate's YouTube channel and two theatrical trailers. Television commercials played on several channels.

Reception

Box office

, Norm of the North has grossed $17 million in North America and $10.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $27.4 million, against a budget of $18 million.
The film was released on January 15, 2016, alongside and Ride Along 2. It grossed $9.4 million from 2,411 theaters over its opening four-day Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, finishing 6th at the box office.

Critical reception

Norm of the North was critically panned. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a rating of 9%, based on 69 reviews, with an average rating of 3/10. The site's critical consensus read, "A pioneering feat in the field of twerking polar bear animation but blearily retrograde in every other respect, Norm of the North should only be screened in case of parental emergency." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 21 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". On CinemaScore, audiences gave the film an average grade of "B–" on an A+ to F scale.
Critic Mark Dujsik gave the film 1 out of 4 possible stars, writing that "Norm of the North doesn't care about the environment, the animals of the Arctic, or even kids for that matter. It wants to be 'cute and marketable' as cheaply as possible". James White of Empire gave the film 1 out of 5 possible stars, writing that "we wouldn’t recommend you watch it even after you’ve burned through every other possibility – and that includes a blank screen". Mark Kermode of The Observer called the film a "dull... below-par Ice Age-style tale in which the highlight is a group of vulgar lemmings". Michael Rechtshaffen of The Los Angeles Times called the film "blandly uninspired", and Soren Andersen of The Seattle Times called the film an "idiotic animated comedy", writing that "No child should be exposed to this".
Geoff Berkshire of Variety called the film a "blandly executed pic" that "will quickly head south to an ancillary afterlife". Katie Rife of The A.V. Club gave the film a "D" grade, writing that "this is a movie for children. But using that as a justification for lazy work, as if kids are inherently too dumb to know the difference, isn’t just condescending. In a post-Pixar world, where audiences have become accustomed to quality animated family films, it’s a waste of money". Stephen Schaefer of The Boston Herald gave the film a grade of "B–", writing that, despite being "hardly original... 'Norm' has oodles of charm, a razor-sharp wit, and pacing that should keep even preschoolers attentive".
Slashfilm reported that Norm of the North temporarily had a rating of 0% on Rotten Tomatoes in January 2016, shortly after the film's release; the score was based on 35 reviews at the time, all of which were negative.
Edwin L. Carpenter of The Dove Foundation gave the film its Family-Approved seal, writing that "your kids will enjoy Norm’s company–he’s funny and a role model for doing the right thing."

Home media

Norm of the North was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital HD on April 19, 2016.

Sequels

Prior to the official theatrical release of the film, two 45-minute direct-to-DVD sequels were announced, titled Norm of the North: Back to the City and Norm of the North: The Arctic All-Stars.
On January 22, 2018, it was announced that production on a sequel produced by Assemblage Entertainment, along with Splash Entertainment, Lionsgate and DFG Family, had begun. The resulting film, Norm of the North: Keys to the Kingdom, was given a limited theatrical release on January 11, 2019, with a home release on February 12, 2019.
In 2019, two more sequels were announced, Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure and Norm of the North: Family Vacation. Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure was released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital on June 11, 2019. Norm of the North: Family Vacation was released on DVD, digital and on-demand on February 25, 2020. A fifth Norm movie was in development as of February, 2019.
Maya Kay is the only cast member to return for the sequels, while Norm is voiced by Andrew Toth.