IR TV Review: I AM GROOT (Shorts) [Disney+]

Capturing a feeling of a beloved character without overdoing it is an interesting approach but it needs to be done in a subtle and overt way without changing the character but also making him interesting as well. The 5 quick shorts of "I Am Groot" are very brief and they work because of that. At barely 4 minutes a piece, they play at different points of Groot's ego but also his happy-go-lucky existence wherever the Guardians go. Most of it happens in the quiet moments per se in between whether finding him on a moon playing in the mud, investigating things that go bump in the night, trying to be creative or simply exploring with almost not understanding his impact. The use of his moniker is actually not overused and at times is more about reaction and grunts.

The animation is very high end so it looks like live action and yet there is none. Obviously there is a bit of James Gunn here because the irony of the Guardians film is toned down but still there. While all are good, there is one episode that is definitely better simply because of a guest star who knows that the balance of how Groot exists is based on those around him, especially one person who knows him best. These shorts take place in different time spaces but only one is actually timed to a certain point in Baby Groot's life (when he sprouts his legs). Scale takes over at one point (almost as an ode to "Army Of Darkness") and is, in a way, an existentialism play. The shorts play at the idea of "Who Is Groot" versus his moniker because he is a curious being that happens to be on an amazing voyage yet he is still just growing up. This collection of shorts nicely captures that inception. A

By Tim Wassberg