What would you do if you had the ability to alter the script of another person’s dream, influencing their actions in their waking life as a consequence? In Dreambuilders, protagonist Minna used this ability to manipulate someone’s dreams to get back at her bratty, Instagram-obsessed step-sister Jenny.

The Danish production features a colourful visual aesthetic reminiscent of a Disney-Pixar movie, with a narrative that largely explores the concept of family, particularly those dealing with divorce, and how it impacts a child when the family structure changes.

There’s also an added fantasy element, with everyone having a dream stage they go to during their sleep, with the actions there being directed by the bluish creatures who work behind-the-scenes to craft subconscious experiences.

Dreambuilders is a magical and imaginative adventure film with heartwarming elements. It navigates the struggles in bringing a family together after marital separation, and also sparks our curiosity for the images we see during dreams. The film can also be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the consequences of one’s actions.

It does, however, leave you wishing more detail was given to the construction of characters and worldbuilding so it could breathe more life into Minna’s story, and provide more opportunities for humour, depth and heartfelt emotions. Unfortunately, there are no significant female bluish dreambuilding creatures, and worth noting is the extent of the cyberbullying shown in the movie, which at one point gets dark, and could be considered too frightening for a kid’s animation.

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