Turning Red is a 2022 movie directed by Domee Shi. Set in Toronto in 2002, it follows Mei (Roaslie Chiang), a 13-year-old who transforms into a giant red panda whenever she gets a sudden strong emotion. The panda transformation is something that runs in her family, and can be removed and sealed in a ritual. When the ritual falls on the night that Mei wants to attend a concert with her friends, she must decide who she wants to be, while grappling with conflict with her mother (Sandra Oh), who wants Mei to remove the panda spirit.
The movie wasn’t a big financial success, given that it was released on Disney+ and was only in theaters in select countries, but it was well-received critically. However, it has also seen a lot of surprising controversy from audiences for its subject matter and conflicts. Let’s take a look at why the movie has become so controversial.
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Portrayals of Puberty and Teenage Realism
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
One of the biggest controversies comes from viewers seeing the movie as too mature, or inappropriate. Namely, this comes when Mei first transforms into the red panda, and her mom assumes she started her period – though the word is never actually spoken. She gives Mei pads, and though Mei views it as an embarrassment, it presents a normalized view of first periods. However, Daily Beast reports that many audience reviewers found this to be too mature for kids. For younger kids, maybe this is too mature; however, they likely won’t know what it means, or understand it. But a lot of kids will know and understand, and can see something like periods normalized.
In addition, consider some things that have happened in Pixar movies – Nemo getting separated from his father in Finding Nemo; Hiro losing his brother in an explosion in Big Hero 6; and Remy seeing the dead rats in Ratatouille – not to mention the frequent parent deaths in Disney movies. A teenage girl getting her period truly isn’t as mature, or even as dark, as these. Periods are a normal part of life, and Turning Red shows it in a realistic way.
Another aspect of this is how Mei and her other teen friends are portrayed. They all have an obsession with the boy band 4*Town, and their desire to see them in concert drives much of the movie’s plot, as they use Mei’s panda ability to raise money for tickets. Mei also has a crush on the boy who works in a convenience store, and draws sketches of him in her notebook. Again, audience reviewers have felt this it too mature, or overly sexual. However, while they’re part of Mei exploring romance, they don’t feel overly sexualized. Rather, they’re a serious and realistic part of a teenage girl’s life. Sure, Mei is over the top with her boy band obsession, just like many teens are – it’s directly similar to the craze over One Direction, for example. Crushes, and embarrassing fantasy drawings about them, are also part of that. Turning Red shows this aspect of teen life in a way that is powerful and essential for its audience.
Parent-Child Disagreements
A second point of controversy revolves around the movie’s family conflicts. Mei’s mother wants Mei to perform the ritual to remove the panda, as all the women in the family have. However, Mei has enjoyed her panda and the experiences it’s given her, and doesn’t want to remove that part of herself. In the end, Mei decides to keep her panda spirit and embrace that aspect of her life, with her mother’s acceptance.
Vox reported that some viewers feel the movie “celebrates kids disobeying their parents.” Mei leaves the ritual even though her mother didn’t want her to, and she also raises money for a concert ticket after her parents say no. Yes, Mei disagrees with her parents, but everyone does at times. Similar to the dark moments in Disney films, kids disagreeing with their parents and going behind their backs is a staple in the animated genre. Ariel disobeys King Triton in The Little Mermaid; Nemo disobeys his father in Finding Nemo; Merida has major disagreements with her mother in Brave. Having conflicts and creating different relationships with your parents is part of growing up. It’s unfair to blame Turning Red for promoting disobedience, when numerous films have shown similar plots without blame.
Different Ideas of Culture and Relatability
Finally, some have said that the depictions of culture and representation in the movie are too limited for viewers to relate to. Mei and her family own a temple dedicated to their ancestors, and the panda transformation is tied to their ancestry. Their Chinese-Canadian culture, and the 2000s Toronto time period, are a large part of the movie and its spirit. However, the underlying family conflicts are something anyone can relate to, regardless of culture. Similarly, turning into a red panda isn’t relatable or realistic – neither is Merida’s mother becoming a bear – but when that’s removed, it becomes a relatable interpretation of a teenage girl growing up. The movie is able to celebrate that time period and culture while still having enough humor, heart, and challenges about teenage life for anyone to relate to it.
For some viewers, Turning Red may have been overshadowed by its controversies. Yes, the movie features realistic depictions of puberty and teen life, with serious family conflicts that some viewers may not enjoy. However, the movie is still worth a watch for its bright spots of humor and memorable characters in a sweet story.
