Wildwood - Review

Rating: 5 out of 5

LAIKA Studios, the American independent stop-motion animation studio, has already been responsible for some great animated films, courtesy of Coraline and Kubo & The Two Strings. Their latest, Wildwood, is arguably their best yet.

Operating on a much vaster scale than any of their previous work, and inspired by the book of the same name, written by Colin Meloy (lead singer of Portland rock heroes The Decemberists), it’s a dark, sweeping epic that takes the breath away on many levels.

First and foremost, it’s visually sumptuous, boasting sets that absolutely demand to be seen on a big screen.

But as with the studio’s previous work, it’s also emotionally rich, dealing with complex themes but giving them room to breathe as well as the intelligence and sensitivity they deserve. Hence, the two hour plus running time doesn’t feel like a stretch.

The story focuses on teenage rebel Prue (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) as she is forced to venture into Portland’s mystical wild wood after her baby brother is kidnapped by crows.

It actually starts in jaw-dropping fashion, as a child apparently commits suicide by leaping from the balcony of a mansion as his distraught mother watches on. The child is actually a mechanical being but the shock of such an opening scene isn’t diminished. Nor is the outpouring of grief it creates.

Indeed, it is the processing of grief that informs so much of the story, as well as the challenge of growing up and realising that the world is seldom as easy or as fairytale as you may have been led to believe. The transition from childhood to adulthood is therefore also a key component.

Needless to say, the events that open the film are connected to the taking of Prue’s brother, with the ensuing journey one of revelation and rescue within a fantasy realm.

But it’s a richly absorbing ride, evocative of everything from CS Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (particularly in its use of a manipulative, vengeful witch as a villain) through Tolkien’s rich Lord of the Rings world (and the key part played by trees) to even Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (where the kidnapping of another baby brother led a plucky sister into a fantastical realm). Yet, and this is crucial, Wildwood doesn’t feel like it’s just borrowing or paying homage to those classics; it has its own distinct identity too.

The world it creates is layered and beautiful to behold. Early on, for instance, it pays homage to its own home town of Portland (Laika is based there, as are The Decemberists) via a breath-taking bicycle ride through its cafes, playgrounds and streets. There’s a vibrancy to it, as well as an urgency.

But there’s also something vaguely ethereal, or as Prue’s nerdy tag-along friend Curtis (Jacob Tremblay) puts it: something weird. Cue a brilliantly realised sight gag as a unicycling Darth Vader darts past with a fire-breathing light saber.

And there’s some sly artistic commentary, as an early warning about the evolving nature of the creative arts and the imminent threat posed by AI is revealed as Prue cycles past a stand selling hand-made crafts, which includes a sign urging people to love hand created artistry while they still can.

Given the quality of Laika’s output, and that of fellow stop motion stalwarts Aardman, it would be a tragedy if such creative visionaries were ever lost.

As if to underline this notion, the film then whisks viewers into the dazzling world of the wild wood, where humans co-exist with animals and birds under the divided rule of an incompetent governor (Marc Evan Jackson) and an evil dowager governess/witch (Carey Mulligan), who commands an army of red coated coyotes and those aforementioned crows.

It is the dowager who Prue must defeat in order to reclaim her sibling. But in order to do so, she must also unite the disparate factions of the wood - from the bandits led by Mahershala Ali’s robust freedom fighter to the birds led by Richard E Grant’s wise Owl Rex, the crown prince of the Avian Principality.

And in doing so, she must also confront some of the harder truths surrounding her predicament.

Knight’s film contains several surprises as well as a consistent ability to embrace its darkness. Its 12A certificate is well earned given some of the decisions it takes around the fates of certain characters. This can also feel like an extremely grim fairytale.

In doing so, however, it adds genuine emotional depth, confronting some big issues around the loss a child and the processing of grief that will surely resonate with older audiences. It is so much more than just a kids’ film.

And yet for all of its darkness and violence (some of which is brutally staged) there’s also a keen sense of optimism surrounding its other themes: some of which exist to celebrate outsiders and the beauty and importance of nature, while also extolling the virtues of reaching out for help. Hence, it can also be life affirming.

Knight therefore deserves maximum praise for the way in which he has painstakingly brought everything together to create such a satisfying whole. His film has been years in the making, employing over 1,000 people over 231 weeks of production, with some 233 handmade puppets having been created along with 132 practical sets.

But this was also part of his plan... to create something that stands out from the norm: a special, labour of love creative process for a special piece of storytelling.

Or, as he told The Hollywood Reporter in a rare long-form interview: “We live in an era that’s largely frictionless. Everything is designed to make things easier and quicker. But stop-motion asks something different of us - that we take our time, slow down, put our care and our energy into something that demands our attention.”

In seeking to demand our attention, however, Wildwood also emphatically captures it while emerging as wholly inspirational. There’s a magic to it that’s worth celebrating. And a beauty and energy that’s often exhilarating.

It deserves to find a wide and appreciative audience for it is, as Knight and the team at Laika intended, a masterpiece that looks set to enjoy classic status.

Certificate: 12A

Running time: 2hrs 10mins