Kensuke's Kingdom

If you don't want to cry your eyes out.

I must admit I got bored at the beginning with the main character, and was thinking of giving it up, but I'm a completionist so I had to see it through. And boy am I glad I did!

Everything is amazing - animation, the story, music... one of the best animated movies I've ever seen, especially because it tackles world issues that wound my heart - and the world - the most: animal poaching (leading to species extinction and ecosystem disbalance), stupid wars, but it also shows what a small paradise we could have if we only learned to live within the nature's world, instead of considering ourselves above it, and treasure what it gave us.

I'm sorry that I haven't even known about the book before watching this (there are so many amazing ones, it's impossible to know and read them all! T_T ), but I'll be sure to find and read it!

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 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!

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Another great animated film based on another book, and this film shows how a good family film should be done. This time the book is written by Michael Morpurgo, it's an adventure story set at sea and land. Frank Cottrell Boyce helps adapt the book, Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry are the directors who have done a great job and give us a great different looking animated feature.

This is a film that shows that action, speaks louder than words, as there is more done, than said, so the cast done really have much on script, so everything is left up to the visuals and sound design, and it's a nice treat, a simple story of island life that is seen by two points of view, driven by circumstance.

Also the island and wildlife are characters in their own right. A very thoughtful movie.

Michael Morpurgo's children's story was adapted as an animation by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. At its' heart is ecological issues with inspiration from Robinson Crusoe.

Set in the late 1990s. Michael is a young boy whose family go on a round the world sailing trip after his parents lose their jobs.

Michael has naughtily smuggled his dog Stella onboard. When the boat hits stormy weather. Michael and Stella find themselves stranded in a remote island.

They are not alone. In the island is an elderly Japanese second world war veteran, Kensuke (Ken Watanabe.)

He can only speak Japanese but he provides food for the Micheal.

Eventually young Michael learns to appreciate the beauty of the island environment and how it is in peril.

Especially when hunters arrive to shoot or take the wild animals.

Kensuke has been protecting the animal kingdom.

The animation is good, the story is simple with hope and sadness. It was unexpectedly charming and moving.