If I am being honest, my niche pleasure is found in the world of independent animation. When I use the phrase “independent animation,” I am not referring to the masterpieces of Studio Ghibli or Oscar winners outside of Disney. I am talking about films which objectively should not be good yet find a way to be so. For me, this ranges from panned works such as “Norm of the North” and “Rock Dog” to obscure finds like “Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms” and “Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare.” “Sneaks” falls no short of this categorization and is a type of theatrical release I am always fascinated by. The film had barely any marketing, was highly underperformed and will likely find its place on the next issue of American Airlines’ inflight entertainment pamphlet. However, I strangely find more honor than shame in such a position and invite you to explore the crazy production and world of “Sneaks.”
“Sneaks” follows aspiring basketball player and New York City resident teenager, Edson, and opens with his attendance at a shoe convention. Edson is there to not only flirt with his crush Vanessa, but also acquire Chris Paul’s fictional Alchemy 24s sneakers. The A24s, a clever usage of wordplay found in one of the soundtrack’s songs, and all other footwear also happen to be alive. Edson wins the raffle against the odds of the greedy sneaker head The Collector but soon finds them stolen. Ty, one of the A24s, befriends JB, a street smart sneaker who leads him through New York City’s numerous shoe populated neighborhoods. Edson needs his kicks back before the big game, with it being up to Ty and JB to find Ty’s shoe-napped counterpart, Maxine.
SLAM DUNK STARS
I have seen pretty stacked celebrity voice talent in independently made animated features but “Sneaks” manages to get everyone from everywhere. Anthony Mackie voices the cleverly named Ty with Martin Lawerence voicing JB. Mackie’s casting in the film makes sense considering its director and writer Rob Edwards wrote “Captain America: Brave New World.” Industry veteran actors such as Laurence Fishburne and Keith David voice The Collector and OG, a hoop loving Converse, respectively. The film’s other talent is mostly those from the hip-hop and rap scene from Chloe Bailey to Macy Gray. Swae Lee voices Edson while Roddy Rich surprisingly gives the best performance in “Sneaks” as the film’s conniving antagonist, The Forger. Last but not least, Mustard and Chris Paul voice themselves in the film’s opening at the shoe convention.
Similar to most independent animated films, the production cost for “Sneaks” most likely went to the aforementioned voice cast. None of the big name animation studios and movie distributors are attached with the film being produced by nine different production companies. The film is helmed by the mysterious Lengi Studios, Laurence Fishburne’s Cinema Gypsy Productions along with many others. The animation in “Sneaks” was outsourced overseas to Assemblage Entertainment which is a studio in Mumbai, India. GFM Animation was the film’s sales representative and is no stranger to Chris Jenkins, one of its directors, along with Modern Toons and distributor Briarcliff Entertainment. RTG Features and Waffle Iron Entertainment predominantly produce basketball documentaries explaining their association with the film.
“Sneaks” is the latest film for longtime animation industry effects animator Chris Jenkins, whose previous filmography includes writing “Surf’s Up,” producing “Home” and directing “Duck Duck Goose.” Jenkins is joined in the directing chair by writer Rob Edwards, with it being his directorial debut but Edwards is no stranger to the limelight. Edwards has written Disney’s “Treasure Planet” and “The Princess and the Frog” with 2025 being his big year, writing “Captain America: Brave New World” and “The King of Kings.” Edwards’ message is very present in the film, helping make audiences of all colors and creeds feel connected. However, the story’s structure sometimes feels all over the place with noticeable plot holes and inconsistencies. Storytelling flaws aside, Edwards’ and Jenkins’ combined expertise makes for a unique experience.
SOLE PURPOSE
The film is also one of the very few examples of animated family-oriented, feature length content from black artists. While there are an abundance of African American animated films, very few of them are features made by black creators and or aimed toward all ages.
Other aspects which make “Sneaks” stand out are definitely its characters, situations and story. The supposed narrators of the film are three different shoes hanging on a telephone wire in a neighborhood. It is a creative visual gag but they appear to be unreliable narrators as they are telling the story but sometimes unknowingly find themselves a part of it. The film’s central villain, The Forger, is well-crafted but feels out of place with his design in the vein of “The Amazing Digital Circus.” The film’s plot also closely resembles “Toy Story 2” with a main character’s prized possession getting stolen by an obsessive collector. One target “Sneaks” manages to hit is creativity such as characters’ aglets being hands, a visual reference to “Manhattan” and shoe based puns.
So, why, even after evaluating its mixed issues and low-budget quality, do I still find so much joy in “Sneaks?” For me, “Sneaks” was a humbling moment as it reminded me of the biggest miracle of film: being released. The fact that a decently sized group of people were passionate about its story and willing to complete it all the way through speaks volumes. There are hundreds of films, especially in animation, which do not even make it past pre-production. While the final product was special, to say the least, I will forever remember it and in this respect “Sneaks” did its job. Similar to “Bebe’s Kids” in the 90s, I predict “Sneaks” will garner a cult following after its home video and digital release. From its oddly appealing animation style to its surprisingly catchy Mustard produced soundtrack, “Sneaks” will find its way to the midnight circuit.
