Kensuke's Kingdom

It's not very often that a movie hits me on an emotional level, but this really did. This is a stunning story bought to life with incredible passion. The score is magnificent and wouldn't be out of place in a AAA Hollywood movie, but it works phenomenally well in this intimate animation. The visual effects are stunning and bring the world of Kensuke's Kingdom to life before our eyes. The details of the story which I won't go into are both utterly heartbreaking and uplifting at once. I wish there were more films of this calibre being made on a regular basis and not just the same old remakes and sequels being churned out year upon year.

I found the animated adaptation of Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo to be both deeply moving and adventurous. It's a heartfelt story of survival on a remote island, the resilience of the human spirit, and an unexpected friendship, while also touching on serious themes like war and the exploitation of nature.

In the first half of the movie, young Michael comes across as an irresponsible and disobedient child, which made it difficult to relate to him-perhaps due to my age. However, as his friendship with Kensuke develops, and he matures into a resilient, nature-respecting survivalist, the story becomes much more engaging. Watching his transformation into a better version of himself adds depth to the film, making the emotional climax all the more powerful.

The movie remains very kid-friendly, avoiding anything too heavy or frightening while still delivering a meaningful message. It's an excellent choice for family viewing, and despite being an animated film, it holds enough emotional weight and artistry for adults to enjoy as well.

One of the standout aspects of the film is its portrayal of the connection between humans and animals, beautifully woven together through music-a hallmark of great animation. The segment depicting the Nagasaki bombing during World War II is particularly poignant, using stunning imagery and traditional Japanese music to convey Kensuke's tragic backstory. The lush, vibrant illustrations of the island's forests are also breathtaking, sparking the imagination and making you wonder what it would be like to be stranded in such a place.

The voice acting adds further depth to the film, with standout performances from Cillian Murphy and Sally Hawkins as Michael's parents. Hearing two of my favorite actors in these roles was an added bonus.

Overall, Kensuke's Kingdom is a beautifully crafted animation that balances adventure, emotion, and thought-provoking themes. Whether you're watching with children or as an adult, it's a compelling and visually stunning film that's well worth your time.

I have not read the book this is based on so I went in with no expectations. It reminded me a lot of Studio Ghibli films in terms of the animation and the central character's adventure and some of the ecological themes. At times I found Michael to be frustrating as he made one wrong choice after another. But this was balanced out as the film progressed and by the end I really connected with the characters and cared about what was going on. A beautiful, wholesome film with a very emotional conclusion. Well done!

I was really sceptic after watching the trailer. That I did after seeing the cast. I wanted to make sure my kids will be on board, but the trailer pushed one of them out of the watchers list. Then we waited and finally we set, as a family, to watch the whole movie and damn...that was a good one.

Now I will look for the book for me and the kids. It is very simple story, that reminded me of "Tarzan" or "Jungle Book" and off course a sprinkle of "Cast Away", it had the magic of both, with a twist. It is a story about a small bubble, that demonstrate that all men can live together, with animals also and without devouring each other.

Michael and his family are going for a world-wide tour, in a boat. Michael will drop from the boat and then will be discovered on an island by an older Japanese survivor, that made himself a private kingdom out of the island and is not willing to share or change anything, while living in the nature.

It is a heart warming and touching story that is simple, short and well performed, as talking about the animation and dubbing. It's book's background (by Michael Morpurgo) and simple, but very successful script (Frank Cottrell Boyce) makes the difference between another kids' movie to this exciting and Heart-wrenching film, that conquers you from the get go.

When his parents lose their jobs, they decide to sell up and spend a year circumnavigating the globe on their boat - the "Peggy Sue". Unbeknown to his parents, though, teenage son "Michael" has smuggled their dog "Stella" aboard and is feeding her from their supply of digestive biscuits! Of course this isn't a secret he can keep for long, and actually it shows us that "Michael" isn't actually the most grown up of boys as he seems to view parental instructions more like optional guidelines. That rather comes home to roost when a storm hits the boat and both he and his canine companion are washed overboard and then ashore a small island. There's no food, no water - and a baking sun, so you wouldn't think much for his chances - except. Well, they awake to find some hand-prepared sushi and freshly cracked coconut milk on the hollowed out log they were using as shelter. Maybe this island isn't as hostile as he'd first thought? Well the jellyfish certainly have it in for him, and that's when he meets his benefactor - an old gent who would appear to have been on the island for a very long time. Gradually, the two - with no common language - start to trust one and other and "Kensuke" starts to impart to the boy some of his own values as they learn to collaborate with nature on this increasingly attractive paradise. Desperate for rescue when he arrived - is he still so desperate now? We learn a little of the backstory of the island's sole human occupant which adds some richness, and some sadness, to two straightforwardly engaging characterisations and with an animation that reminded me a little, in style, of the "Snowman" (1982) and a fitting musical accompaniment from Stuart Hancock I found this to be a short, sweet and enjoyably poignant story of learning a little about self-reliance and not so much about self-importance.