“Wildwood” is many things—an epic tale of wonder, a throwback to the darker fantasy movies of the 1980s, a love letter to Portland, an engaging tale of discovery, and much more. But it’s also an incredibly made achievement in stop motion animation the likes of which have never been seen before. There are many sequences in “Wildwood” that will astound viewers, especially when they realize the painstaking process and attention to detail that went into literally every frame of the film. Director Travis Knight has crafted an amazing world full of extraordinary sights in a way that makes “Wildwood” utterly unique and deserving of constant praise.
In Portland, Oregon, Prue (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) is often regaled by her parents (Jake Johnson, Maya Erskine) with tales of the impassable forest surrounding the city. They make it sound incredibly foreboding and dangerous, and part of the reason why she’s not to take her baby brother Mac (Arthur Knight) out of the house. Of course, when she’s tasked with babysitting the little one, she does exactly that—only for a murder of crows to kidnap him and take him into those untamed woods. Aided by her reluctant friend, Curtis (Jacob Tremblay), Prue explores this strange world and finds her brother, all while navigating the peculiar alliances, traditions, and warring factions that make up the Wildwood.
“Wildwood” is not a perfect film, but it is a gorgeously impressive achievement in filmmaking. There’s a bit too much exposition that constantly happens and occasionally stops the forward momentum of the story. But there’s also a lot of lore to pack in, so it’s hard to know how screenwriter Chris Butler (adapting the novel written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis) could have more seamlessly integrated the backstory into the proceedings. But with that critique aside, Knight’s film is a monumental moment in cinema that deserves a huge amount of acclaim for both its technical achievements and emotional resonance.
Much will be written (forever) about the process of making “Wildwood” and the meticulous detail that it required. And deservedly so—to think how human hands molded these characters and actions in such a way in some moments (like an epic battle scene or an exciting flying sequence) is truly staggering. But it’s also important that such feats would all be interesting footnotes if the movie didn’t work on a narrative level and truly engage the audience’s brains and hearts. “Wildwood” is surprisingly moving, perhaps because it’s willing to venture into dark territory that includes love, resentment, loss, death, revenge, and more. The Dowager Countess (Carey Mulligan), the antagonist behind Mac’s kidnapping, is a villain but not one without sympathetic treatment; Knight and company go to great lengths to make sure the audience understands her plight, even if they disagree with her actions. Similarly, Prue is a complicated protagonist who is trying to navigate cultures and systems far beyond her understanding but always has a guiding light of trying to do the right thing.
The cast is stacked with amazing voice performances in all the roles, including Mahershala Ali as the King of the Bandits, Angela Bassett as an eagle general in the bird army, Awkwafina as a rat, and more. Under Knight’s direction, these aren’t just glorified cameos or celebrity cash-ins, but feel like real characters with depth, history, and real psychology. This is also aided, once again, by the very tactile nature of the stop motion which makes these figures feel even more real than most other animation efforts. Due to its format, “Wildwood” is deliberate in all its decisions, which means there’s a greater focus on making every part shine, even if it’s for just a few moments. Along with gorgeous visuals and sumptuous imagery, this makes “Wildwood” feel like a real world in which one could easily turn down any corner and explore new magic.
It’s hard to overstate just how beautiful “Wildwood” is on many levels—its production, visuals, story, themes, and more are all transcendently gorgeous in a way that is wonderfully human. And this is an interesting example of where the method and message combine to really cause an impact. Even in a film with talking bears, depressed automatons, magic ivy, and more, “Wildwood” always feels grounded in its humanity. Perhaps that’s because human hands were all over it, literally every element on screen crafted was by a person in some way that required time, intent, and focus. And that bleeds through to the emotions of the movie where every character is a complicated and rich person (or animal) with layers, even if they only appear in a scene or two. While not perfect, “Wildwood” is still a fantastic achievement in filmmaking and storytelling that will resonate with audiences for lifetimes to come.
4.5 / 5 Stars
Directed by: Travis Knight
Starring: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Carey Mulligan, Tantoo Cardinal, Marc Evan Jackson, Richard E. Grant, Charlie Day, Tom Waits, Len Cariou, Angela Bassett, Mahershala Ali, Jemaine Clement, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Rob Delaney, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight
