Wolfwalkers
Wolfwalkers
For Animated Films Saturday this week, instead of choosing something from my film collection as usual, I present you with a review of a new release. The theater that I saw it in was the living room in the house I share with my roommate, under a fuzzy blanket and cuddled with a sweet cat. My roommate wanted to watch this film with me because they thought it would go well with the fact that I had just reviewed the classic Wolfman films, and this film is rooted in the Celtic folktales of the Wolfwalkers, which were werewolves as they could possess both the for+ms of a human and the form of a wolf.
Wolfwalkers was released in the USA on Apple TV+ on December 11th 2020 (last night). The film was directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, and the screenplay was written by Will Collins. The film was produced by Cartoon Saloon and Melusine, and distributed by Wildcard (Ireland) Apple TV+ (international including USA), and Haut et Court (France). Due to the Covid 19 pandemic theatrical release was limited and instead it was released through online home streaming by Apple TV+. Wolf Walkers was made by the creators of the Irish animated film Secret of Kells and shares some similar stylings, aesthetics, and vibes.
Wolfwalkers stars the voices of Honor Kneafsey as Robyn Goodfellowe, Sean Bean plays her father Bill Goodfellowe, Eva Whittaker plays Mebh Og Mac Tire, and her mother Moll Mac Tire is played by Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Simon McBurney plays Olver Cromwell. The voice actors are perfect for their characters, and do an amazing job at bringing their characters to life.
The film follows the story of a young girl named Robyn whose father is a hunter, who has been ordered by the "Lord Provider" to rid the forest around the town of wolves. One day Robyn follows her father into the woods when he is hunting, even though he told her to stay home. While out she tries to stop some wolves from eating some sheep. When she accidently hits her pet bird Merlin with a crossbow bolt, and one of the wolves takes her bird and runs off into the forest. Robyn chases. Robyn gets caught in a snare and a wolf tries to free her, but accidently bites her, then the wolf heals her wound, and that is how Robyn is lead to meeting her new friend Mebh. But Robyn finds that she herself has become a wolfwaker as well, and decides that she will help save Mehb and her pack at all costs. But her father doesn't believe her, and thinks that she is just telling fairy stories...but can she make her father believe in time to save her newfound friend from the "Lord Provider"'s troops before it is too late?
The story takes place when Ireland was being colonized by the British, and tells a story of a people who between still believing in the magic of the oldways and being converted to Christianity by the oppressive force that is governing over them. So there are definitely some political undertones that the film doesn't hide, nor shy away from, but at the same time, doesn't make the film an overtly political story either. There is also the conflict of religions, that of the oldways of the Celts, and that of the the colonizers, the Christianity of the British. This film doesn't shy away from the fact that atrocities are happening, and that the Celts and their oldways, are being wiped out, similar to the story of the wolves in their forest. Just like Catholics and St. Patrick ridding Ireland of the "snakes" so did the British and the Protestant Christians rid Ireland of the "wolfwalkers" and the other magical folks of the forests, including the mass slaughter of those who refused to give up their religion and convert to Protestant Christianity. All of this is in the background, but none of it is explicitly mentioned. The film on one level is a fun animated film about believing in magic and freedom, but to adults who are familiar with the history it also has a much deeper meaning.
This is an amazing film, and it moved me to tears multiple times. The story of believing in yourself, and believing in the magic of the natural world around you, and fighting for what you believe in at all costs, is a beautiful and empowering story. This is also a great story for young girls to watch, because the main characters are girls, and they are strong and powerful characters that make a stand, and I think that is a great empowering story for young girls to see. This is a film that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. Also the beautiful 2D animation style that utilizes a woodblock aesthetic an expressive sketchy style helps to convey the emotion and the feeling of the film. I love this style of animation, I like that it is beautiful and original, and breaks from the bland cookie cutter animation of studios like Disney, and creates its own look. I also very much am in love with the fact that instead of going for newer styles of digital animation, that this film sticks to an original style of hand drawn 2d animation, and I believe that that helps to give it the powerful aesthetic that it has. To me this film looks like what I see in my head when I read Irish folktales and Celtic folklore of the Druids. This is a powerful animated film and I very highly recommend checking it out, it might be one of the best modern animated films.
Wolfwalkers was released in the USA on Apple TV+ on December 11th 2020 (last night). The film was directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, and the screenplay was written by Will Collins. The film was produced by Cartoon Saloon and Melusine, and distributed by Wildcard (Ireland) Apple TV+ (international including USA), and Haut et Court (France). Due to the Covid 19 pandemic theatrical release was limited and instead it was released through online home streaming by Apple TV+. Wolf Walkers was made by the creators of the Irish animated film Secret of Kells and shares some similar stylings, aesthetics, and vibes.
Wolfwalkers stars the voices of Honor Kneafsey as Robyn Goodfellowe, Sean Bean plays her father Bill Goodfellowe, Eva Whittaker plays Mebh Og Mac Tire, and her mother Moll Mac Tire is played by Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Simon McBurney plays Olver Cromwell. The voice actors are perfect for their characters, and do an amazing job at bringing their characters to life.
The film follows the story of a young girl named Robyn whose father is a hunter, who has been ordered by the "Lord Provider" to rid the forest around the town of wolves. One day Robyn follows her father into the woods when he is hunting, even though he told her to stay home. While out she tries to stop some wolves from eating some sheep. When she accidently hits her pet bird Merlin with a crossbow bolt, and one of the wolves takes her bird and runs off into the forest. Robyn chases. Robyn gets caught in a snare and a wolf tries to free her, but accidently bites her, then the wolf heals her wound, and that is how Robyn is lead to meeting her new friend Mebh. But Robyn finds that she herself has become a wolfwaker as well, and decides that she will help save Mehb and her pack at all costs. But her father doesn't believe her, and thinks that she is just telling fairy stories...but can she make her father believe in time to save her newfound friend from the "Lord Provider"'s troops before it is too late?
The story takes place when Ireland was being colonized by the British, and tells a story of a people who between still believing in the magic of the oldways and being converted to Christianity by the oppressive force that is governing over them. So there are definitely some political undertones that the film doesn't hide, nor shy away from, but at the same time, doesn't make the film an overtly political story either. There is also the conflict of religions, that of the oldways of the Celts, and that of the the colonizers, the Christianity of the British. This film doesn't shy away from the fact that atrocities are happening, and that the Celts and their oldways, are being wiped out, similar to the story of the wolves in their forest. Just like Catholics and St. Patrick ridding Ireland of the "snakes" so did the British and the Protestant Christians rid Ireland of the "wolfwalkers" and the other magical folks of the forests, including the mass slaughter of those who refused to give up their religion and convert to Protestant Christianity. All of this is in the background, but none of it is explicitly mentioned. The film on one level is a fun animated film about believing in magic and freedom, but to adults who are familiar with the history it also has a much deeper meaning.
This is an amazing film, and it moved me to tears multiple times. The story of believing in yourself, and believing in the magic of the natural world around you, and fighting for what you believe in at all costs, is a beautiful and empowering story. This is also a great story for young girls to watch, because the main characters are girls, and they are strong and powerful characters that make a stand, and I think that is a great empowering story for young girls to see. This is a film that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. Also the beautiful 2D animation style that utilizes a woodblock aesthetic an expressive sketchy style helps to convey the emotion and the feeling of the film. I love this style of animation, I like that it is beautiful and original, and breaks from the bland cookie cutter animation of studios like Disney, and creates its own look. I also very much am in love with the fact that instead of going for newer styles of digital animation, that this film sticks to an original style of hand drawn 2d animation, and I believe that that helps to give it the powerful aesthetic that it has. To me this film looks like what I see in my head when I read Irish folktales and Celtic folklore of the Druids. This is a powerful animated film and I very highly recommend checking it out, it might be one of the best modern animated films.
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