Rock and Rule is the perfect double feature with "Heavy Metal": 80s Canadian adult animated films covering similar genres of music, using the genre's stereotypes to their benefit. While I think this one's the better of the two, "Heavy Metal" is a lot more consistent...The film begins with a text scroll, summing the premise far better than I or IMDb ever could: "Another time...another place...Mok, a legendary superocker has retired to Ohmtown, a remote storm ravaged village famous for its unique power plant. It is here that he lays his plans for his comeback - a great and final performance that will secure his immortality. High in the hills of Ohmtown, Mok's computers work at deciphering an ancient satanic code which could unlock a doorway between his world and a darker dimension, while Mok himself searches for the last crucial component..." (Also, all the characters are "Goof Troop"-style manimals...) The premise is brilliant, and in some ways, Rock and Rule does a perfect job at delivering. Mok is the perfect rock villain: Dethklok-famous, smooth talking, a master of visual effects, and an egoistical madman. Angel is more than just a damsel in distress, and Omar isn't the typical virtuous hero. The animation is fairly solid, and provides some nice views of this post-apocalyptic world.But some parts are too cartoony! The two other members of the band are completely forgettable, and serve little purpose beyond dumb humor. Mok's henchmen were not much better. The most famous man on Earth only has three dim-witted, roller-skating bulldogs for mooks? Worse yet is their sister, who looks exactly like them, but highly sexualized...they all seem out of place for a generally serious movie.Also, for a film called "Rock and Rule", there isn't that much Rock n' Roll. Its less of a musical than a Disney film, and the background music is mostly synth IICR. The soundtrack isn't bad...but I'm glad I didn't go in with high expectations.Its in a weird spot, between genres. It isn't outrageous enough to be called an X-rated cartoon, nor does it do an exceptional job at being either a sci-fi or a rock film. But overall, I'd say its a guilty pleasure of mine. It does succeed in areas few animated films touch. Few western cartoons are aimed at adults, and most of them are Adult Swim comedy shlock. Its also the only film I've seen, period, that attempts to be any sort of a "Rock Opera". If style over subsistence can carry a film for you, I'd say this is a decent choice.If nothing else, the film does provide two awesome music numbers: "My Name is Mok" and the final piece, "Send Love Through". The songs, animation, and borderline camp of these two scenes alone are worth the price of admission. Its impossible not to smile at the ridiculously cheesy finale, played completely straight. Consider them the two additional stars.

Rock and rule also known as the ring of power in the UK is a 1983 Canadian animated film created by the Nelvana company. Legend has it that Nelvana was approached to create a segment for Heavy Metal but declined instead opting to create their own feature length film. Legend also has it that it failed so epically that the studio almost went bankrupt because of it. So lets take a look at Rock and Rule.We are introduced firstly to our villain Mok, An egotistical rock star who looks and acts like the result of a hot night of passionate love making between Mick Jagger and David Bowie. The Plot exposition computer explains that he is seeking something called the Armageddon key, and that he will need a voice to open a gateway to another dimension.We cut into Ohmtown and are introduced to our protagonists, members of a smalltime band playing gigs at a open mike night. Its around this point in the movie you might be asking yourself why everyone looks like rejects from the goofy movie, iunno, anyway there's the vocal duo of Omar, Angel backed up by the musical accompaniment of Dizzy and Stretch.Without doing a scene by scene analysis Mok invites the band to his mansion to discuss a record contract, but we quickly learn where his interests lie when he instead kidnaps angel and its up to Omar and the gang to pursue mok to Nuke York to rescue her.This film seems very confused as to who they are aiming for, it has a very child friendly Disney-esque look but with adult content such as drug abuse, some brief nudity and adult language mixed in.The villain Mok also seems seriously confused about his role, hes extremely menacing in some pretty scary ways but he has this super campy "ohhh I'm the villain" song and he goes from looking like a stereotypical 80s rock star to lookin like a F***in California raisin on extacy somewhere along the way.animation is very good with lots of fluid movements and eyecandy for the viewer, compared to other animation of the time it comes out quite well. Its like the flipper baby result of a passionate night of love making between Heavy Metal and Disney which seem like polar opposites but in this case it actually works in this films favor.The high points of this film are definitely the musical scenes with awesome soundtrack contributions from greats like cheap trick, Debbie Harry and Lou Reed and earth wind and fire. As mentioned before this film was a huge flop making only 30 grand of its 8 million dollar budget according to IMDb, did it deserve better? I think so. While not quite on the level of classics like heavy metal, I find it to be an enjoyable film worth bringing up over 30 years later.So that's my short look at Rock & Rule, if you would like to see the video version of the review it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUzRnHnFTOo

The re-dubbed American cable edit is absolutely horrible. It rips the heart and soul out of the movie - right from the intro where Mok's code isn't referred to as "satanic", to the removal of almost all of the drug references, and the absolutely horrible replacement voice for Omar (the guy doesn't hold a candle to the original voice actor). Get the 2 disc version from Amazon with the uncensored Canadian version, you won't regret it.. the original movie, as intended.I think the problem with this movie, ever there ever really was a problem, is that it isn't a kids movie, nor is it particularly well written or clever to be much of an adult's animated feature, but it works well for teenagers (as I was one when I first saw it, many years ago on the CBC late night movie). Given the time the movie was made animation was still thought of as "kid's stuff", or simply dirty (Say Fritz the Cat), and this movie really falls into the grey area between those extremes. Poorly marketed, no doubt, but the American cable edit exists because of this failure to the realize the market.

I have a tendency to go into video stores not really knowing what I'm looking for. when I saw "Rock and Rule" on the self, I was immediately drawn to the cultish feel this movie had to it, and when I finally got around to renting it, I was blown away.I have seen a lot of VERY good animated features (Akira, Totoro and the original 101 Dalmatians) but rock and rule has to be among the best. I know that a few people like to bash this movie, saying that the directing is inept, the characters aren't developed or the animation is dated.These people are probably the same people who hate Napoleon Dynamite just to be rebels. In order to really appreciate Rock and Rule, you have to think about the time it was made in, and then you will realize just how groundbreaking it really was.the animation is superb, period. nelvana (the producers) nearly went bankrupt when they made this movie, and you can clearly see why. some of the first usage of CGI in animated film is used in RR, and it is generally extremely high quality for an eighties flick. Oh, and lets not forget about Mok. Mok, a parody of Mick Jagger, has to be one of the best cinematic villains of all time. From his incredibly expressive lips (JAGGER!) to the excellent voice acting provided by Don Francks, he is mesmerizing to behold, and basically sells the film on his own.All in all, the story is excellent, the songs are incredible and the animation is an example of the best of its period. If you ever hope to be an animation buff, or cult buff, you have to see this movie. it simply isn't an option.