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From the creators of The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea comes the best animated film of the year (and no, I’ve not seen Soul yet). Wolfwalkers tells the story of Robyn, an English girl who has moved to Ireland with her hunter father by the orders of Oliver Cromwell (Simon McBurney) who has hired him to kill a wild pack of wolves.
Suppressed with the feelings of loneliness and home-sickness, plus the general disadvantage of being a female in medieval times, Robyn soon takes it upon herself to leave her new confines where she discovers that the wolves her father has been sent to kill aren’t just regular wolves. They are led by two humans who have the ability to transform into wolves in their sleep, a.k.a wolfwalkers.
I wasn’t expecting much when I started to watch Wolfwalkers, simply because the trailer didn’t do it any justice, and I’ve not seen the other works of Cartoon Saloon. Although, I am pleased to report that I was overwhelmed by just how spectacular this film is, from its animation to its music — the whole film is a feast for the eyes and ears. The animation design Cartoon Saloon has chosen to utilise makes the film look like they’ve animated a children’s picture book, and it looks fantastic, even during the times when the characters look somewhat out of place when the background and its inhabitants are still.
The character designs are dynamic and original, and the writing is of top-tier quality. It’s just all-around a fantastic film, but it’s a shame it’s an Apple TV+ exclusive because that seems to be a streaming service virtually no one has. If I were Apple, I would make this film available for rental or even have it made available for free for a limited time during this Christmas season.
It’s hard to find a negative in this film because I enjoyed it so much, but I will note that despite all of the vocal performances being just as good as the rest of the film, I found some to be a tad one-note and dry. However, notable exceptions include Honor Kneafsey (Robyn), Eva Whittaker (Mebh), and Sean Bean (Bill), who each give exceptional lively performances.
Wolfwalkers is currently my pick for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. It’s an original tale that’s perfect for both children as well as adults.
Wolfwalkers is available to watch on Apple TV+ right now!
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