Get ready to see cockfighting from a lively perspective! Pollo Punch is an animated short, co-written and directed by Alec Castillo, that takes the boxing drama in a humorous yet relatable direction. Yunian is a narcoleptic rooster who fails to do his job of waking his owner. He is owned by a young man who is struggling to make ends meet. At the same time, Yunian’s wife recently laid eggs. Yunian’s life is about to change, yet he dreams of being a boxer.
Despite his scrawny appearance, he has swag and passion for achieving this ambitious goal. After his owner gets fired from his job, he takes him to be slaughtered. In a moment of desperation, to save his own life, Yunian intervenes and tells his owner he can cockfight to make ends meet. Together, these underdogs attend an underground fight at an abandoned warehouse. Yunian must go the distance and face his opponent, The Tenderizer. Can he prove himself in the ring?
Castillo’s short film tells an engaging story in its brisk 10-minute runtime. Castillo and Mike Menendez’s screenplay doesn’t skip a beat. Audiences will feel like they are part of the vibrant Cuban culture depicted in the film. Tonally, Pollo Punch combines the grittiness of Rocky with the zaniness of The Emperor’s New Groove. Both genres complement each other. The filmmaker’s animation style also echoes Ralph Bakshi’s urban sensibilities.
Yunian’s owner holds him close during a tense nighttime moment in Pollo Punch.
“ Yunian is a narcoleptic rooster, who fails to do his job…yet he dreams of being a boxer.”
The character designs by Castillo are spunky and rough. I loved the black and red motif of The Tenderizer, his menacing design reminiscent of animator Andreas Deja’s style. Deja is known for designing memorable villains like Scar and Jafar during the 90s Disney Renaissance. All these designs work well against the background paintings by Chris De La Guardia. His paintings stand out as they are a mix of digital art and photos.
Beyond the wonderful animation, the voice cast gives so much life! You can tell they are having fun performing this project. Whoever voiced Yunian’s wife is hilarious in her comedic timing. If you are looking for an earthy, inspirational film with a ton of heart, Pollo Punch is your best pick.
"…combines the grittiness of Rocky with the zaniness of The Emperor’s New Groove."
