Wildwood Review: Laika Studio Returns with Old-Fashioned Stop-Motion Magic
The Guardian reports on Wildwood, a new stop-motion animated family film created by the Portland-based Laika studio and directed by Travis Knight. Adapted from the book by Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy, the fantasy adventure follows a young girl named Prue as she enters a parallel forest world to rescue her baby brother.
Key points
- Wildwood is a stop-motion animated film from Laika studio, directed by Travis Knight.
- The story is adapted from the bestselling book by Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy.
- The voice cast features Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, and Mahershala Ali.
- The plot centers on a 12-year-old girl entering a magical parallel forest world after crows carry off her baby brother.
What Happened
Laika studio has returned with Wildwood, a stop-motion animated family adventure directed by lead animator Travis Knight, as reported by The Guardian. The film is based on the book by Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy and features a voice cast that includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, and Mahershala Ali.
Reaction
According to The Guardian's review, the movie offers a forthright, exuberant, and old-fashioned children's tale with a robust and pleasing stop-motion animation style that provides an organic physical immediacy. The reviewer noted that while the opening sequence carries an uncanny punch, the narrative does not share the same scary intensity as Laika's earlier film Coraline.
Background
The story is set in modern-day Portland, Oregon, adjacent to a large forest park mythologized as an impassable wilderness. In the film's plot, 12-year-old Prue and her classmate Curtis pursue a group of crows that carry off Prue's baby brother into a parallel world populated by talking animals, an incompetent governor, and an evil dowager governess.
Why it matters
The release marks a new feature from the acclaimed stop-motion animation studio Laika, continuing their tradition of crafted fantasy adventures following their previous work on Coraline.
What we know
- Wildwood is a stop-motion animated fantasy adventure film created by the Laika studio.
- The film is directed by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler.
- The movie is based on the book by Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy.
- The voice cast includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, and Mahershala Ali.
What remains unclear
- The reviewer expresses uncertainty regarding whether the narrative delivered a satisfyingly clear motive for the governess's plan.
