I Am Groot review: A heart-warming Disney+ short series with no consequential purpose

Disney+'s latest short series, I Am Groot, the newest Avengers spinoff from Disney, does not aim to go further or provide fresh insights about the sapling. Instead, the short series offers five cute capsules of adventures lasting 2-3 minutes each. They are all focused on a Baby Groot self-indulging in shenanigans.

I Am Groot is a collection of delightful shorts of peace and tenderness which will be, without a doubt, forgotten in a year. Additionally, it lacks depth and seriousness, unlike other animated shorts, which convey far more in their limited running times, for instance, Baymax!, which arrived on Disney+ about a few months ago.

Helmed by Kirsten Lepore and Vin Diesel voicing Groot, the concept does not persist long enough, yet it works effectively in this situation. A surprising degree of variation is also present. A sci-fi thriller narrative tone pervades one short while the Bonsai Tree catfight is featured in another.

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I Am Groot on Disney+ is inconsequential but worth a watch

In hindsight, I Am Groot seems unavoidable at this point. Since he was transformed into a baby, the character has served as comic relief for Marvel, given his limited vocabulary and mischievous traits. Each episode lasts a little more than a few minutes, summing the series within 25 minutes, almost equal to the MCU post-credit sequence length.

The absurd humor is based on Groot's propensity to be irritated over the slightest problems and make poor decisions. To summarize, it's silly and entertaining and will only find an audience among those who enjoyed the live-action film's cameo of a miniature Groot dancing in a flower pot. In one scene, he also surfs on Drax's bar of soap.

The purpose of this is to give the audience momentary laughter and a feel-good sense. It succeeds spectacularly in this respect. There is a steady improvement from one episode to the next, and even though it is geared towards children, there are instances of genuine innovation.

The most memorable part of the series was the horror-style tale about Groot facing off against an unseen nemesis, in the short titled Groot's Pursuit, which in typical Guardian flair, ended in an unexpected dance-off.

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Disney+'s I Am Groot serves no greater purpose in the franchise

Although some I Am Groot shorts don't have enough backdrop imagery, the animation is stunning. This is because three of the five shorts are set in space while on the spaceship, where there isn't much to view. Nevertheless, Lepore uses these setting by introducing multiple graphics and narrative components to make them more engaging.

I Am Groot gains from being an entirely independent venture. There are no hints or clues to subsequent plotlines, and there are no unexpected appearances from other Marvel characters, with Rocket being the exception, given his father-like bond with Groot.

These shorts should not be taken too literally. They are intended for lighthearted enjoyment and succeed admirably in achieving that goal. It should come as no surprise that Baby Groot is ideal for this kind of approach.

Notwithstanding the brief duration of the combined shorts, I Am Groot is a delightful experience recommended for any Marvel fan or an enthusiast of animated features. On the bright side, fans get to see Baby Groot once more before the tree-alien returns to the big screen with Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

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Don't miss out on this adorable and heart-warming shorts series depicting Baby Groot's adventures.