Les Wolfwalkers

"The woods is getting smaller everyday."

I can guarantee it right now, this will be the most underrated animated film of the year, or even in the past decade or so. With big name films that Disney produces, it's hard to remember there are other studios making animated films just as great or even better. Wolfwalkers falls under this category. Like the other films from this studio, it focuses of Irish tales and folklore. Song of the Sea amazed me when I watched it only a couple years ago. Wolfwalkers is just as amazing and some may even say better than Song of the Sea. I'm not apart of that group but it's a really close call. The animation is the first thing that caught my eye. This is the most beautifully animated film in years. The autumn colors look beautiful on screen. And with the style they use has so much details. And I loved looking at the patterns within. I'm not the person to talk to about animation since I'm no artist, but all I can say is that it is just stunning.

The story feels sort of familiar in ways, but is done well. The predictability factor, typically in animated films aimed for children, isn't too strong. But I wouldn't even go to it being aimed towards children. As lore, I feel that this is for everybody. I felt engaged the whole time. There's always something exciting or interesting happening on screen. The characterization isn't as strong for everyone, more towards the main antagonist, but by the end you feel connected with these characters. The voice acting is all good. The two main characters couldn't have been better voice-casted (if that's a word). Overall I'm just thoroughly pleased with this film. I don't know how to describe everything else without giving anything away, but all I can say is this should be a must watch for everyone this year. It'll be on AppleTV+ later this year I believe so check it out if you can.

Wolfwalkers is a story about Robyn, voiced by Honor Kneafsey, an English girl in a small Irish town of Kilkenny, 1650. Her father Bill, voiced by Sean Bean, is tasked with trying to root out the wolves in the forest surrounding the town. Robyn hopes to be a skilled hunter like her father, imitating him with her own cross bow and pet falcon Merlin.

This film takes place during a time of war and occupation, Robyn's father working under the tyrannical Lord Protector Cromwell, voiced by Simon McBurney. The Lord Proctor is trying to quell other Irish rebellions and keep the populace subdued. This puts pressure on Bill to quickly take care of the wolf problem, or face dire consequences.

Soon Robyn comes into contact with the infamous wolfwalkers, lead by another girl Mebh. Robyn learns that the wolfwalkers are not as bad as she has been led to believe and has to come to terms with this conflict between wanting to be like her hunter father, and protecting the humanity of the wolves and wolfwalker.

Cartoon Saloon's style of hand drawn animation is some of the most beautiful I've seen. Every frame has intricate, meticulous details that make their films a unique visual delight to behold. This film has numerous cinematic shots and sequences that push the boundaries of what can be done in the medium.

Overall this is an excellent film, on par with their other brilliant feature length animated films The Breadwinner and Song of the Sea. I would strongly recommend anyone give this film a watch.

9/10.

With a story as touching, relevant and engaging as any you've encountered from a Japanese studio you may be familiar with, and similarly exquisitely hand crafted, you will devour, gobble, gorge, nay - wolf down this enchanting, endearing and captivating animation set in Kilkenny, Ireland during the times the countries neighbour was going through its despotic, tyrannical, dictator days (days not than long since passed if we're honest). Plenty of metaphor and allegory to sink your canines into but just as easily taken as a genuinely honest tale of right over wrong, good conquering evil and the perpetual endurance of love, truth and nature.

Overwhelmingly well crafted and told to where I immediately just got focused, letting the film absorb my soul with such unsustainable jubilation. Akin to a child enamored with worlds some believed to be impossible, but were brought to life due to limitless imagination. Exactly like my first run in with Cartoon Saloon almost 11 years prior.

First movie in a long time where at every minute I went; "Dude, this is metal!". And when it was over I was like; "Man, I cannot wait to see this again."

In a land with a tradition of great fables, here is one that is simply movie magic. A British Lord in control of Kilkenny in Ireland, orders that all the remaining wolves be killed in order for the land to be cleared. A man is the head hunter and his daughter, Robyn meets a a wolfwalker in the form of a fellow little girl named Mebh. She transforms into a wolf when asleep. Robyn attempts to help Mebh in saving the wolves and in finding her lost mother. The scenery of the animation is breathtaking and for an hour and forty-three minutes I could escape from this terrible year for awhile. Wolfwalkers is one of the best films of the year.