AllMovie

A lonely orphan sheds his fear of the dark by taking an illuminating journey into the realm where nighttime truly comes alive in co-directors Adrián García and Victor Maldonado's imaginative animated lullaby. By day, Tim experiences the same small joys and minor disappointments of most other children his age; it's only when the sun falls over the distant hills that the otherwise carefree orphan feels truly alone. Tim has a paralyzing fear of the dark, a fact that his fellow orphans take cruel advantage of at every opportunity. One night, as the shadows begin to lengthen over Tim's bed once again, he climbs up onto the rooftop to gaze at the nighttime sky. In the distance, a falling star crashes to the ground, and the concerned youngster begins to fear that somewhere in the heavens the universe has come undone. Accidentally tumbling into the nocturnal abyss, Tim is quickly rescued by a gruff beast known as The Cat Shepherd and plunged into a world known as Nocturna -- where wondrous creatures engineer the night with otherworldly precision. Supervising the nightly operations is the java-fueled Mr. Moka, who welcomes young Tim and introduces him to the various characters that help to ensure that the midnight hours run smoothly. Now that Tim understands just what makes the clock tick through the wee hours, he may finally be able to overcome his fear of the dark after all.