I can’t help but pay attention any time Laika releases a new movie. Their stop-motion animation films of the past prove their artistry and unique vision. We had yet to get a film from them this decade. So, I was elated to see the trailer for Wildwood earlier this year. And I’m even more excited to say it stands as one of their best films.
Wildwood tells the story of Prue McKeel, a young girl living in a very idolized version of Portland. Against her parent’s better judgement, she takes her much younger brother out for a day and he is quickly carried away by malicious crows beyond the impassable woods. It’s then up to Prue and her classmate, Curtis, to venture beyond the veil of reality and go further into a strange land that’s in the middle of a generational war.
Prue herself is in a tough place. She is in that in-between part of youth, where she’s reached her emotional teenage years and trying to figure out what growing up and maturing means. As the story starts, Prue takes growing up so seriously, that it’s hard for her to take a moment and discover any magic in her life, but also the beautiful impact she can have on the world around her.
Travis Knight, who also directed my favorite Laika film, Kubo and the Two Strings, is back at the helm and his care is immediately noticeable. There is a real passion for the original book, but one that stretches into this incredible medium and it makes the story feel so much grander. While his movies may not always be smash successes (see – Masters of the Universe, Kubo), he has confidently entered into my list of directors to watch.
A term that kept popping in my head as I experienced Wildwood was “subtle majesty.” Because this film is literally hand-crafted, each and every shot is purposeful. Every single leaf, color, and shot are intentional. This is a big screen movie for the sheer sake of trying to take it all in. Each shot feels majestic. But there’s so much more than that. These figures feel so real because the artists behind the scenes. They move their faces with genuine emotion. These don’t feel like static puppets that move through a set, rather uncanny characters that have lives and histories and nuanced emotions. There’s so much you’ll miss through these “performances” if you only pay attention to how everything else on the screen moving.
The vocal work is fantastic as well. Peyton Elizabeth Lee is wonderful as Prue. She’s backed up by a stellar cast of talented voices in Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Jacob Tremblay, Charlie Day, Richard Grant, Tom Waits, and Jemaine Clement, including so many more. My daughters may have grimaced upon hearing Awkwafina. Same.
Carey Mulligan voices the villain of the story, The Dowager Governess. She is my favorite element of the film. It’s so rare, especially in the time of diet modern movies to get a villain that, not only has definite reasons for her downfall, but an evil streak that cannot be calmed through a sweet conversation. Wildwood takes some major risks with its characters and they absolutely pay off.
Now, there are a few factors that may prevent parents from taking much younger children. The movie’s runtime is a beefy two hours 12 minutes. I can’t say I’d cut anything for pacing sake, but it’s far longer than typical movies in its genre. Also, it earns its PG-13 rating. There’s some scattered vulgarity (none of the major bombs), but also plenty of warfare that I’m still trying to wrap my head around just how they made it. It’s a heavy dose of constructed violence that will be a bit too intense for younger viewers. I hate saying that, as I happily consumed this kind of stuff as a kid.
There is a spectacular third act that shows just how much effort and passion goes into this kind of experience. Personally, I was hoping for a little more of an emotional crescendo where I’d have to hide my tears, and it didn’t quite achieve that. Yet, I was constantly in awe of what was happening on screen.
Wildwood deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It will enchant even non-believers in stop-motion animated movies. The visuals are gorgeous, the score perfectly punctuates each scene, and the film is action packed enough to excite anyone. I plan to see this one again in theaters just to pay more attention to any of the subtle majesty I may have missed before. A-
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