The Secret of Kells

Directed by:Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey

Starring: Evan Maguire, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Hourican, Mick Lally, Christen Mooney

Synopsis:

Young Brendan is a novice monk residing in Kells, where his uncle, Abbot Cellach, is building a huge wall to keep out invading Norsemen, who have been destroying villages all over the land. Brendan’s sheltered childhood is changed forever with the arrival of Brother Aiden, who has brought with him an ancient but unfinished book, which he hopes to complete at Kells and calls upon Brendan to help him, much to the annoyance of the Abbot.

For the first time in his life, Brendan ventures beyond the walls of the abbey into the beautiful surrounding forest. There he meets Aisling, a wolf-spirit who guards over the forest and becomes his friend. Together they undertake a great quest, but the norsemen are getting ever nearer to Kells, and the barricades still aren’t strong enough...

The Secret of Kells is a sharp reminder that Pixar don’t quite have the monopoly on sophisticated story-telling in animation. The style of animation might take a second or two to get used to, especially as the film begins with Brendan chasing a goose through the grounds of the abbey at breakneck speed, setting up a number of great visual gags as he does so.

Soon though his lackadaisical day is interrupted by his stern uncle, the Abbot. Voiced by the wonderful Brendan Gleeson, Cellach is an imposing, mountain of a man who has welcomed the local villagers inside his walls to try and offer protection. His whole life is focussed on finishing the defences around the abbey and can’t comprehend why anyone else isn’t as concerned. His old colleague, Aiden, arrives at just the precise moment in time when it is both right and wrong to do so. He captures Brendan’s imagination thanks to the illuminations in the book, and fills his head with stories. He even manages to convince Brendan to step outside the abbey’s walls for the very first time.

The film perfectly captures Brendan’s joyous innocence and the way he takes in the sights and sounds of the forest. Perhaps this is what draws Aisling to him. She saves him from an attack by a pack of ferocious wolves, who scatter as soon as she draws near. Aisling is as old as the forest, but at the same time, still retains a lot of child-like attributes. She’s proud to show off the natural wonders of her forest, just as Brendan wants to show off the illuminations of the book.

The animation style and characterisation is very stylised, and a mile away for the CGI wonders of Pixar or Dreamworks. But the detail is absolutely amazing. When the film finally decides to reward the viewer with a glimpse of the book’s pages, a glimpse that we share with one of the characters, you can’t help but have an emotional response to what you are seeing.

Verdict

Like Coraline, The Secret of Kells is one of those animated films which should transcend the tag of kid’s film. The story is engrossing, the attention to detail is amazing, and the acting touching. Special mention to composer Bruno Coulais, who provides a stirring, Gaelic folk-score to the action.

8 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)

New! Comments