Wolfwalkers is an animated adventure fantasy film directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. It features the voices of Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Jon Kenny. It was released on 11th December 2020 on Apple TV+.
Set in 1650 Ireland, the town Kilkenny is under the authority of the ruler Lord Protector (Simon McBurney) and wants to clear the forest that happens to be dominated by the pack of wolves. Bill Goodfellowe (Sean Bean), a hunter along with her daughter Robyn (Eva Whittaker) is summoned to Kilkenny to clear the forest and to eradicate all the wolves who are constantly attacking the woodcutters. One day, Robyn sneaks out of the house following her father to the forest along with her pet bird, Merlyn but she gets attacked by the wolves and she mistakenly shoots Merlyn with her crossbow and there saw a mysterious girl who can control the wolves and took Merlyn in her cave.
The next day she again sneaks from the town and went to the forest and sees that her bird Merlyn is very much alive and is healed. There she sees a wolf and she panics and gets caught in one of the animal traps. She gets bit by that wolf when it tries to free her from the trap. The wolf lead her to a hidden cave and reveals herself as a girl Mebh (Honor Kneafsey) who call herself a wolfwalker. She tells Robyn that her mother Moll MacTÃre (Maria Doyle Kennedy) has not come from her search for a new home. Will Robyn be able to help her and the wolves to get out of the forest safely? Will she be able to stop her hunter father from killing all the wolves?
The story is by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart and the screenplay is by Will Collins. There's nothing new about the central character Robyn, a rebellious young girl who is not easy to chain or control and this film is made like an adventure and shows the exploration of what Robyn really is and her discovery of true self. But this film wins your heart with its multi-layered screenplay and sequences which are so wonderfully executed, especially between Robyn and Mebh and their sweet unusual friendship which raises the film's adorable factor to another level.
The hand-drawn and painted kind of animation is a fresh and unique touch and I was always pausing the movie to look at the detailing it has in every frame. The film as a whole feels new and original as the emotions of Robyn losing her mother is very aptly shown, not too much diving in the deep emotions and still being heavy is where the film truly scores full marks. The issues raised in the film is very much prevailing in the recent time as the forest are getting cut and the wild animals have to leave their natural habitat. I'm not going deep into that one but this is what the film shows through one of its layers.
The perfect voice-overs are the soul of the film. Especially Honor Kneafsey as Mebh, Eva Whittaker as Robyn who is outstanding as their voice is truly effective and can make you emotional. The last half hour of the film is just brilliant and is almost impossible to blink. Hardly there come any animated movies this good, that is hard not to think of it even after the film is over and making you watch it again.
The film is visually stunning and the unusual hand-drawn and true 2D animation and the film's impact, make this film stands out from the rest of the animated movies out there that just try to make you "believe in yourself". It's optimistic but we've enough of that. This film has an important message for all but it doesn't become too preachy about that. This film can be equally enjoyed by the children and the grown-ups. It's easily the year's best animated film and it's surely going to be getting at least a nomination in the next Oscars.
Rating:- 4/5
Now streaming on Apple TV+.
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