Review: Wildwood
With people leaning into AI these days, we should at least be grateful that most of us still support hand-made art, especially in animation. 2D animation, CGI, anime, even stop-motion. These art styles highlight the sheer creativity and hard work animators pour into creating breathtaking, imaginative worlds, especially in stop-motion. Stop-motion deserves the most recognition for the painstaking process of capturing one frame at a time to create character movements and crafting large-scale settings by hand. One prime example is an animation studio that combines this process with bold, refreshing quality: Laika. Despite losing money on its last two films, Laika has received constant praise not just for its storytelling and technical work, but also for understanding animation as an art form rather than something aimed only at kids. Seven years after its previous feature, Laika aims to continue this streak with an epic fantasy film that’s been in the works for fifteen years. One that’s been highly anticipated for its much grander scale and ambition, as well as its attempt to bring further attention to adult animation.
“Wildwood” is the latest directorial effort from Travis Knight, who’s known for helming “Kubo and the Two Strings”, “Bumblebee”, and “Masters of the Universe”. It is based on the 2011 fantasy novel by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. The story centers on Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a teenager who resides in a small town with her family, including her infant brother Mac (Arthur Knight). During a tranquil day at the park, a group of crows suddenly appears and carries Mac away into the mysterious wilderness. Joined by her classmate, Curtis (Jacob Tremblay), Prue sets out to rescue her brother hidden in the forest. When they arrive, they discover the forest hides an expansive, fantastical world divided between two warring factions. One faction is led by a dowager governess named Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), whose grief sets her on a dangerous path. As the factions prepare for their ultimate battle, Prue must muster the courage to save Mac and return home, confronting Alexandra’s cold-hearted wrath and even her destiny.
I have no doubt how impressed I’ve been with Laika’s filmography since I first watched “Coraline” in 2009. Its movies aren’t consistently perfect, with “The Boxtrolls” being my least favorite of the bunch on recent revisits. Nevertheless, its animation and storytelling never cease to amaze me, especially when you consider the evolution of its stop-motion process for each film. This left me excited for what Laika has cooking with “Wildwood”, despite being unfamiliar with the books it’s based on. I mean, just looking at the behind-the-scenes videos and trailers made me assume I would be in for something very special from the animation studio. Of course, I am also talking about the fact that it’s Laika’s most ambitious film in terms of tools and technology, and it aims to be even darker than its previous movies, hence its PG-13 rating. Yes, even darker than “Kubo”. Fortunately, “Wildwood” isn’t dark for the sake of being dark. It earns that darkness to highlight not just its fantasy aura and violence but also its mature themes, making it another animation gem worth watching and even supporting.
On paper, “Wildwood” is another fantasy adventure that follows the basic guidelines of the genre. This includes the lore of the Impassable Wilderness, epic battle sequences, and Prue’s self-discovery as she confronts her destiny. We’ve seen this many times, but “Wildwood” is another example of a movie that uses its familiarity to elevate its characters and thematic depth to perfection. This is not only another incredible achievement from Laika, thanks to its innovative animation, but also an impeccable blend of whimsy and maturity in its storytelling. Yes, the movie includes talking animals interacting with humans, which is typical of many family movies with anthropomorphic creatures. However, just because it has some fundamentals of a kids movie doesn’t mean it’s aimed at that demographic, and “Wildwood” highlights this to a T. With its PG-13 rating, “Wildwood” doesn’t hold back on its violence and thematic material, especially its spectacular, yet brutal, third act. I may have seen a person get decapitated in that scene. So, even with its all-star cast, animation, and talking animals, I would strongly recommend watching “Wildwood” first before taking your kids to it.
One thing I admire about Travis Knight as a director is how he balances dynamic visual flair with the scale and thrills of action set pieces. Admittedly, “Bumblebee” and “Masters of the Universe” highlighted Knight’s creative direction, proving him a respectable filmmaker in live-action outside his stop-motion work. However, “Kubo” and now “Wildwood” clearly show that Knight’s vision works best in animation. I would even say Knight’s direction in “Wildwood” was an impressive improvement over his previous movies, especially in scope and action. Given the film’s ambition and scale, Travis Knight ensured his directorial style matched the creativity, both in production and emotion, and the result is gorgeous and haunting. Chris Butler’s screenplay may have the fundamentals of an epic fantasy akin to “The Lord of the Rings”. However, they were also paired well with its themes, including grief, as evidenced in Alexandra’s tragic quest to revive her dead son. The film also shows that growing up may not be as easy as it sounds when it comes to finding the answers one seeks. Butler’s script, combined with Knight’s balance of fantasy and emotion, transforms a simple animated take on “Lord of the Rings” into a beautiful, highly engaging, and thoughtful reflection on what it means to come of age. Of course, I can’t forget about the musical score by Dario Marianelli, who has previously composed music for “Boxtrolls” and “Kubo”. While I prefer the score in “Kubo”, the music in “Wildwood” still packed a wallop with its fantastical, subtly poignant vibes.
As for the animation, I’m as surprised by how it looks as you are. Given its runtime and the complexity of the technology behind the practical puppets, sets, and VFX, it’s hard to believe everything on screen was created by human hands. But it’s also easy to tell that the folks at Laika have come a long way since “Coraline” in 2009. Every movie they made after “Coraline” is a step up in its creativity, effects, and even the scope. The animation in “Wildwood” may be the best thing Laika has ever produced, and it may or may not be topped. The characters are more detailed and fluid than ever, yet still carry the usual stop-motion frame rate in specific sequences. The production designs, including the wilderness, are vast in scale and gorgeously rendered with its visuals, lighting effects, and character actions. However, the biggest highlight of the animation is the final battle. It’s complex by stop-motion standards and intense for younger audiences, but it is also absolutely incredible in its scope, from Caleb Deschanel’s cinematography to the action. Like many who experienced it, I was left in awe at the effort it took to make a full-fledged war in stop-motion look as grand and thrilling as one in live-action. There’s no doubt that Laika kept challenging itself to improve its style and ambition, and “Wildwood” is likely one that’ll remain unbeaten for quite a while.
Another element worth pointing out is the voice cast. “Wildwood” is another animated movie packed with an A-list cast, with some names more unusual than the rest. You’ve got the likes of Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Charlie Day, Jake Johnson, and even Awkwafina. Don’t worry. Awkwafina did very well in this movie as Septima, a rat who befriended Curtis. However, I would give the most credit to Peyton Elizabeth Lee, who voices Prue in her theatrical film debut. Prue is determined to reunite with her baby brother, but she’s also challenged by what she once believed in as she matures. Lee, a former television star for Disney, was great at conveying the subtle emotion in Prue’s mannerisms, giving her a promising path to future film roles. Jacob Tremblay also did a good job voicing Curtis, whose haplessness complements his gradual depth as he helps Prue save her brother. Carey Mulligan was also superb in making Alexandra a compelling animated villain whose blind grief makes her actions frightening and tragic.
Laika is undoubtedly known for teaching us not to judge their movies by their seemingly animated, whimsical covers. What seems like another harmless option for parents to watch with their children is actually a film that treats animation as an art form through mature themes, nuance, and elements beyond standard kiddie fare. “Wildwood” is not only another example of Laika’s storytelling and animation expertise, but also an incredible feat on both fronts. While it may seem simple and formulaic on paper, the film uses that structure to deliver a refreshing, well-written exploration of grief and growing up, wrapped in traditional yet sublime epic fantasy vibes. Travis Knight and writer Chris Butler have crafted another outstanding stop-motion piece that’s grander in scale and emotion, largely thanks to their direction and screenplay. The animation is also top-tier in scope, with complex designs and majestic settings, especially in its third act, proving that AI can never replicate what true artists create by hand. Like “Kubo”, “Wildwood” is an outstanding achievement in Laika’s filmography and even stop-motion as an art form. One that will surely be remembered for a long time.
