This is surely some of the most striking animation work that I can immediately recall seeing, catching one's attention from the moment the picture begins, and on that basis alone filmmaker Sébastien Laudenbach is to be commended. It's not that the imagery is filled with detail, but rather that the the imagery largely declines detail: what we see before us would be described in other contexts as sketches, or storyboarding, or might reflect the type of simplistic illustrations we'd assume of Neanderthals drawing on cave walls. Figures and objects may be depicted without solid lines, or be effectively transparent; only the slightest of shapes and colors are used to visualize environments, structures, or basic dimensions or spatial awareness. There's a remarkable, beautiful, underhanded sophistication in that style, however, thoughtfully artistic in a manner that more fully fleshed out figures may not necessarily be. Everything we may possibly need to see is still shown to us, most surely, but in highly imaginative ways; the movement from one splash of lines or hues are marvelously fluid as we would suppose of any animated feature. There can be no doubt that in its fundamental presentation this movie is wonderfully unique and entrancing - and the excellence certainly doesn't stop there. 'La Jeune Fille sans mains' is fantastic!
While Laudenbach's visuals astound first and foremost, Olivier Mellano's sumptuous original music isn't far behind. His compositions occupy a space dancing between modern post-rock and 70s space rock, varying between tones light and airy, pensive, buoyant, or notably more harsh depending on what a scene requires. Whatever the mood, Mellano's contribution is a major treat for we viewers - and given the tale on hand, there are most certainly a lot of moods to cover. It's absolutely worth mentioning that like many fairy tales from Charles Perrault or, in this case, the Brothers Grimm, the story as written is incredibly dark and violent, and not remotely appropriate for children by modern standards. Laudenbach doesn't shy away at all from strong violence, nudity and sexuality, or the most grim of themes and ideas in his cinematic adaptation, with mutilation, manipulation, betrayal, deceit, and much more prominent in the narrative; suffice to say that despite a reasonable "fairy tale" label and the inventive art style, this 2016 feature is aimed at adults, not kids. With that said, the narrative is fabulously compelling, satisfying, and altogether rewarding, filled with twists and turns, stark characterizations and scene writing, and sharp dialogue. Why, maybe it's just a reflection of the urgency of the saga, & the hearty investment it readily inspires, but I rather wonder if the writing here, translating Grimm to film, isn't more complete and cohesive, and maybe even more faithful, than what some other fairy tale fare has given us over the years.
With Laudenbach having written this adaptation, directed, edited and animated, there's no mistaking that it's largely his baby. Yet all others involved are absolutely to be commended for the work that they put in, too, and that includes the cast. Voice actors don't necessarily stand out in animated work the same way that actors do in live-action movies, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed with the efforts here. Philippe Laudenbach, Jérémie Elkaïm, and not least Anaïs Demoustier, not to mention others on hand, all breathe fantastic life into their characters, voicing each with range, nuance, and personality that readily comes across throughout the tableau. At one time or another I think we've all seen or heard acting that was sufficiently poor to catch our attention in a bad way; conversely, sometimes if a performance is suitable it won't stand out at all. It speaks well to Demoustier, Elkaïm, and their co-stars that they do leave a mark on 'La Jeune Fille sans mains,' just as much as Mellano or the maestro himself. And with all this having been said, I'm so very pleased with just how good this is! While the animation style and then the music may be the most grabbing aspects, there isn't one component part that's not tremendously well done, and everything comes together exquisitely in this telling of a story from so long ago. I didn't know what to expect when I sat to watch, and I'm overjoyed with how engaging and even refreshing the viewing experience ultimately is. It bears repeating that this isn't an animated picture that's made for kids, but for anyone else who may have the chance to watch, I think this is well worth 75 minutes of one's time and earns my enthusiastic recommendation!
