WILDWOOD

Wildwood is brought to life by glorious stop motion animation to create a world full of wonder, magic and danger, which is bolstered by an excellent voice cast and amazing puppetry to deliver an epic fantasy adventure that is destined to be a beloved classic for a new generation of movie goers!

For almost two decades, Laika has been championing stop motion animation and delivering wondrous tales to audiences with films such as Coraline and ParaNorman, continuing to bring this form of animation to the big screen despite its dwindling popularity. Their animation style is distinctive and has helped create some truly unforgettable stories for audiences, but Laika’s legacy will always be known for continuing the art of stop motion animation and the countless animators working behind the scenes to bring these films to life, especially in an age where artificial intelligence threatens hand made art. Wildwood has been fifteen years in the making, requiring two hundred and thirty-one puppets and one hundred and thirty-six sets to bring this story and there is no denying the ambitious vision of Laika and director Travis Knight in bringing Colin Meloy’s novel to life. Matching the effort and love put into the making of the film, the end result is not only the longest stop motion animated feature of all time but a masterful fantasy epic that boasts awe inspiring visuals and animation and powerful storytelling that delivers an all encompassing cinematic experience that demands to be seen on the big screen!

It’s easy to knock Wildwood for feeling familiar to some of the greatest and most popular stories of the fantasy genre, but while it plays with ideas and character arcs that aren’t groundbreaking, Chris Butler’s adaptation of Meloy’s novel delivers everything audiences could want of a big screen fantasy epic. Grand battles, conflict driven by politics and personal loss, and moments of true amazement, Butler retains the magical essence of Meloy’s novel while plotting a thrilling and emotional journey for Prue and Curtis over the course of the film, never losing sight of the individual character arcs that form the core of the story. Embracing the darkness of the source material, Butler ensures that the story he has written on screen is engrossing and has real emotional stakes at its core, while developing the mythology of the Impassable Woods and the backstories of its many characters. Yes, the pacing does slightly drag in the film’s first act as Butler is tasked with lots of exposition and world building introduction, but once Prue truly begins her quest in the Impassable Woods, it's a thrilling non-stop fantasy ride until the film’s credits roll that is reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings and His Dark Materials. While clearly defined by ideas of good and evil, the moral exploration of the lengths parents will go to for their children elevates this animated film beyond the typical animation film audiences are used to these days and proves that animated films are a compelling form of storytelling for audiences of all ages, not just young children.

As with so many animated films these days, Wildwood features a voice cast of some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but every single actor is not only a great fit for their character, but they elevate the magical world building of Wildwood at every turn. Elizabeth Peyton Lee is captivating as Prue, capturing a spirited independence and resourcefulness that makes Prue a wonderful protagonist to go on this adventure with. At the same time, there is a vulnerability that Lee infuses Prue’s voice with which develops the coming of age arc to Prue’s journey as she faces the harsh complexities and darkness for the world outside the safe confines of her family home for the first time, creating a compelling lead character that leaps off the screen. Having recorded his lines years ago, Jacob Tremblay’s youthful spirit brings an adorable awkwardness to Curtis that makes for an endearing sidekick to Lee’s Prue, that with Tremblay’s careful voice work, slowly sets Curtis on his path to becoming a true hero.

Carey Mulligan is chilling as Alexandra, finding in her voice performance both a compassionate heartbreak as a mother consumed by loss and a terrifying rage as she will do anything to bring her lost son back to life. It's with this nuance as Mulligan humanizes Alexandra in a way in which audiences can relate to her on one level, but also be incredibly fearful of the extremes she will go to, which makes for a formidable villain. Awkwafina is a delightful addition to the cast as Septima, using her comedic chops with a restraint to create a budding companion for Curtis; Angela Basset wise and regal voice is the perfect match for the General, Charlie Day’s nervous energy brings big laughs as Dmitri, and Mahershala Ali commands the screen with an authoritative presence as Brendan the Bandit King with a voice performance that is both mysteriously dangerous and powerful.

Meloy’s writing has the influences of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien written all over it with the massive fantasy world at the centre of Wildwood, which provides a rich canvas for the filmmaking team to work with. Relying heavily on visual world building, the sets create the mystery and ancient magic of the Impassable Wilderness with an immense detail that develops an all engrossing world. From the impressive set of the governor’s mansion, the underground tunnels of the dowager governess’ lair, to the bandit’s ancestral land, each set is full of rich detail that complements the characters’ individual arcs and conveys the ancient history of the Impassable Wilderness, allowing Butler’s screenplay to focus on developing the individual character narratives. Bolstered by a terrific musical score from Dario Marianelli that evokes that grand fantasy feel with its majestic orchestral moments, such as when Prue rides the General, while never sacrificing intimate character moments with quieter themes that captures the emotions of Prue’s journey, its impressive work from Marianelli even if the sound mix for the film too often dampens his compositions.

Though, to no surprise, the standout aspect of Wildwood is the stop motion animation, which is nothing short of pure magic. With a fluidity in movement that makes every character feel life-like thanks to the great combination of cinematography, puppetry and visual effects to bring the thousands of hours of labour and love of the Laika team gloriously to life, the visuals on screen are jaw-dropping. Breaking new ground for stop motion and pushing the boundaries of the art form, Knight and his team accomplish some of the most breathtaking sequences from the year from Prue riding on the General, which that sequence took over four years to animate, to the expansive battle sequence in the film’s final act which echoes the scale and intensity of some of the greatest battles in cinematic history from The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. While they push the limits of this form of animation as to what can be accomplished by stop motion puppetry, its the life-like appearance of the puppets where Laika has outshone its previous films by leaps and bounds, which has the immersive effect of making the audience forget that the entire film is created by puppetry in the best way imaginable, delivering a truly magical experience from start to finish. It is all captured by Caleb Deschanel’s beautiful cinematography that not only captures some gorgeous stills throughout the film, but gives an incredible depth to the world of the film that captures the incredible details of the animation and provides the film the brilliant canvas to become the epic fantasy adventure it is. It’s an ambitious feat of animation on display in every single frame of Wildwood, but the result is nothing short of an artistic masterpiece that champions hand made art and reminds why it remains an integral part of cinematic storytelling.

Crowning jewel, magnum opus, generational masterpiece. These are all terms that could be used to describe what Laika has done in bringing Wildwood to the big screen, delivering a spectacular and thrilling culmination to the studio’s ambitious stop motion animation and visual effects efforts. While featuring a talented voice cast led by two excellent performances from Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Carey Mulligan and a great screenplay that introduces audiences to the magical world of the Impassable Wilderness, it is the incredible stop motion animation and visual world building by Laika’s puppetry and animation teams that makes Wildwood not only the best animated film of the entire year, but a landmark animated film that pushes the boundary of the medium to stunning new heights!