[Review] Wolfwalkers(2020) {8/10}

Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart from a screenplay by Will Collins, the film stars the voices of Honor Kneafsey (Robyn Goodfellowe), Eva Whittaker (Mebh Óg MacTíre), Sean Bean (Bill Goodfellowe), Simon McBurney (Oliver Cromwell), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Moll MacTíre), Tommy Tiernan (Seán Óg), Jon Kenny (Ned Stringy) and John Morton (Stumpy). The film is the third and final installment in Moore's "Irish Folklore Trilogy", following his previous films The Secret of Kells (2009) and Song of the Sea (2014).

The plot follows the story of Robyn Goodfellowe (Honor Kneafsey ), a young apprentice hunter who arrives in Ireland with her father during a time of superstition and magic to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh (Eva Whittaker ), a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to turn into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

The story is compelling and the characters are interesting. The animation is colorful, like the other films in this Irish trilogy. It is a highly stylized throwback to the look of traditional hand-drawn animation. While there is a lot of great work being done with CGI animation, I really enjoyed getting to see the 2D hand-drawn artistic choices in Wolfwalkers. It floods the film with a personality that makes it stand out. Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora, contributes to the soundtrack and Maria Doyle Kennedy provides some of her own vocal talents. Robyn’s relationship with her father and Mebh’s relationship with her mother, Moll (Maria Doyle Kennedy), warms my heart. The film establishes earlier on that these two have shared a close, warm relationship, and the forced migration to Ireland under Cromwell has forced them into a caged life of conformity. While many might feel compelled to title this a children's movie, and perhaps it does appeal to that audience, this particular film is one that transcends ages. It is a truly beautiful exploration of the wild, family, and friendship that I look forward to watching, again and again, to pick out more of the details that were infused in this modern masterpiece. Wolfwalkers is an enchanting adventure into the very heart of nature, helmed by a classic, robust narrative that tugs at the heartstrings. A heartfelt tale of love and loss enveloped in the lushly animated storybook from your dreams. It's a very intelligent story built in a very complicated way and is accessible to both kids and adults. You almost don't realize how subversively clever it is.

Wolfwalkers is now available on Apple TV+