This Wildwood review was made possible by Popped attending a Press and Industry screening for Wildwood at the 70th BFI London Film Festival.
After her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) launches a desperate rescue mission into an enchanted forest hidden just beyond Portland, Oregon. Joined by a hapless but loyal classmate (Jacob Tremblay), Prue risks it all as she navigates a world of bandits, talking animals and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition.
A Film of Epic Scale
Laika has always set the bar for stop-motion feature-length animation, but Wildwood is by far the most ambitious and epic film from the studio yet, and it deserves high acclaim. The level of detail is impeccable from beginning to end, creating such a huge, vivid world whilst telling a coming-of-age story tied in with the epic mythology of the Impassable Wilderness.
Previous films have felt quite isolated in their location, but what is so insane about Wildwood is that each sequence continues to surprise you with even more new characters, species and locations. The woods expand with each sequence; there are scenes where the wind becomes its own character, ivy fills the screen and breathes as it moves. This is such an exciting world, and one I didn’t want to leave by its end. It takes the magic and worldbuilding of something like Narnia or The Lord of the Rings and offers glimpses of all walks of nature and life.
I found myself having to remind myself that this is a handcrafted piece of work at times; the animation is so immersive that you find yourself puzzled that this is stop-motion and not computer-generated. There will certainly be talk around this film going into awards season, with Animated Feature and Production Design being two clear bookends for the title; there is so much to praise in the quality and detail put into the film, which I will especially be rooting for as we head into the new year.
In a similar vein to Ray Gunn,this film prides itself on being a universal animated film. This is not made for children, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they should be excluded from witnessing the absolute cinema. I was astounded and shocked by the film’s bloodiness, though it isn’t anything queasy or inappropriate, it is merely there to serve the war and battles.
I think this is a perfect film for teens who are curious about fantasy; the film has a lot to say about growing up, not being children anymore, and executes it in a brilliant, beautiful story.
Strong Vocal Performances
Wildwood boasts a strong vocal cast, led by Disney Channel alum Peyton Elizabeth Lee, who stars as protagonist Prue, who sets out on an adventure of extraordinary scale to rescue her kidnapped younger brother Mac, meeting unexpected faces along the way. Prue’s story brings her up against the malevolent Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), a dowager governess caught in a spiral of grief following the death of her son and the possession of dark magic, which led to her exile. The film sees her hell-bent on being reunited with her dead son, and is portrayed as someone who will stop at nothing to be reunited with her beloved. Mulligan’s performance carries gravitas, with the perfect blend of guilt and anger.
Other standout performances include Jacob Tremblay, who appears opposite Prue as her school peer Curtis; the two’s chemistry is certainly interesting, and there are clear oppositions when the pair meet up in the film’s first act. Curtis offers a glimpse into the experience of the young, quirky loner geek, and whilst Prue’s story is the focus, I think there is a lot of great stuff to watch when Curtis is the focus. He goes on such a profound coming-of-age story that by the time we leave this world, we have two young adults, ready to face the real world after conquering an unfamiliar world, even scarier than their own.
Names worth shouting out include Angela Bassett, as the General, who guides Prue for part of her journey, reminding us of remaining hopeful in times of turmoil; Jake Johnsonlends his voice to Prue’s father, who reminds us of when it’s right to let go of things, and how some things can’t be changed and that there is magic in all of us, a recurring theme of the film. Awkwafina gives a good performance as a rat companion for Curtis as he finds himself at the hands of the evil Alexandra. Finally, Mahershala Ali’s Brendan is a great role model for Curtis to look up to during the film’s latter half, a brave, strong bandit who helps in the duo’s attempt at rescuing Mac.
‘Wildwood’ Review – Final Thoughts
Travis Knight and Laika’s latest film proves to be Laika’s most ambitious and best film to date. Inspired by the likes of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, the film builds up to a sensational final act which rewards patience and the long journey presented to audiences.
A film of epic scale, with clear care and consideration put into each and every shot, this is animation at its best, and one film you do not want to miss when it arrives in cinemas.
Wildwood releases in cinemas on October 23. Check out a trailer below:
