Wolfwalkers

Wolfwalkers is a story about Robyn, voiced by Honor Kneafsey, an English girl in a small Irish town of Kilkenny, 1650. Her father Bill, voiced by Sean Bean, is tasked with trying to root out the wolves in the forest surrounding the town. Robyn hopes to be a skilled hunter like her father, imitating him with her own cross bow and pet falcon Merlin.

This film takes place during a time of war and occupation, Robyn's father working under the tyrannical Lord Protector Cromwell, voiced by Simon McBurney. The Lord Proctor is trying to quell other Irish rebellions and keep the populace subdued. This puts pressure on Bill to quickly take care of the wolf problem, or face dire consequences.

Soon Robyn comes into contact with the infamous wolfwalkers, lead by another girl Mebh. Robyn learns that the wolfwalkers are not as bad as she has been led to believe and has to come to terms with this conflict between wanting to be like her hunter father, and protecting the humanity of the wolves and wolfwalker.

Cartoon Saloon's style of hand drawn animation is some of the most beautiful I've seen. Every frame has intricate, meticulous details that make their films a unique visual delight to behold. This film has numerous cinematic shots and sequences that push the boundaries of what can be done in the medium.

Overall this is an excellent film, on par with their other brilliant feature length animated films The Breadwinner and Song of the Sea. I would strongly recommend anyone give this film a watch.

9/10.

Overwhelmingly well crafted and told to where I immediately just got focused, letting the film absorb my soul with such unsustainable jubilation. Akin to a child enamored with worlds some believed to be impossible, but were brought to life due to limitless imagination. Exactly like my first run in with Cartoon Saloon almost 11 years prior.

First movie in a long time where at every minute I went; "Dude, this is metal!". And when it was over I was like; "Man, I cannot wait to see this again."

Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart's 'Wolfwalkers' is a gorgeous, impressive animated feature that will transport you back to the glory days of hand-crafted aesthetic. While the story doesn't showcase anything we haven't seen before, the movie does deliver it in a way that feels wholly fresh and original. There are beautiful messages of unity, kindness towards animals, and a gentle push for people to look outside their own comfort zone in order to see the world differently. It's an enjoyable and visually distinct experience from beginning to end.

In a land with a tradition of great fables, here is one that is simply movie magic. A British Lord in control of Kilkenny in Ireland, orders that all the remaining wolves be killed in order for the land to be cleared. A man is the head hunter and his daughter, Robyn meets a a wolfwalker in the form of a fellow little girl named Mebh. She transforms into a wolf when asleep. Robyn attempts to help Mebh in saving the wolves and in finding her lost mother. The scenery of the animation is breathtaking and for an hour and forty-three minutes I could escape from this terrible year for awhile. Wolfwalkers is one of the best films of the year.

With a story as touching, relevant and engaging as any you've encountered from a Japanese studio you may be familiar with, and similarly exquisitely hand crafted, you will devour, gobble, gorge, nay - wolf down this enchanting, endearing and captivating animation set in Kilkenny, Ireland during the times the countries neighbour was going through its despotic, tyrannical, dictator days (days not than long since passed if we're honest). Plenty of metaphor and allegory to sink your canines into but just as easily taken as a genuinely honest tale of right over wrong, good conquering evil and the perpetual endurance of love, truth and nature.