What luck did I have finding this film at my local large chain of blockbuster showing cinema on one random weekend. A couple of months ago this film was going through a limited release at a botique cinema, before looking to get a wider release. Then that second lockdown happened, and my limited chance went. But when I saw the film was on, I decided to change my habits and go to the cinema…

Wolfwalkers is an Irish animation about a young girl called Robyn. She and her Dad have moved to middle-ages Ireland, where he is a hunter for the Lord Protector, an english man who has taken over the town. One of the Lord’s goals is to clear the forest. However, the wolves will defend their forest to the death, much to the horror of the townspeople. There are also whispers of stories about wolfwalkers, mystical half wolves, half people. Robyn wants to help her Dad hunt the wolves against his wishes. When she sneaks into the forest, Robyn finds herself in a trap. However, a playful wolf comes along and frees her, although biting her in the process. This wolf is a wolfwalker, a fellow little girl called Mebh who introduces her to the world. Soon Robyn discovers her bite has turned her into a Wolfwalker and enjoys the freedoms but deals with the dangers of this new existence. With Mebh’s mother missing, they set off to find her, save the forest and save the wolf pack.

This film was beautiful. The use of a hand drawn style was really charming. As we got towards the end of the film, the use of lighting was fantastic. The sad dulcet greys on the town contrasting the vibrant greens and yellows of the forest. The wolf hideout was magnificant and grand. Each shot had tiny details for your eyes to devour as you were brought into this fantasy world. The wolf-vision sequences were hypnotic. It really was a pleasure to look at fresh animation as opposed to the always same disney films. Each character was designed in detail, from the appearance of the hair to the teeth. The soundtrack was also beautiful. It was understated, before coming into its own during the climax of the film.

The story may have been a tad predictable (I won’t spoil it, but you will see it), but that didn’t really matter too much. The characters were well developed enough, that even though they were animated, you’d invest enough of yourself into the story, especially when some characters weren’t as nailed on to have happy endings.

The themes of industrial vs nature and the connection between human and animal, the look and the sound of this film all feel far too familiar to Princess Mononoke. However, despite the similarities of themes and settings, Wolfwalkers is much more simple and family friendly than the darker Ghibli film. It doesn’t stand up to Princess Mononoke, however that’s more because that film is one of the greatest animated films to ever exist.

Summary

Wolfwalkers is a fun and vibrant piece of animation. It takes you into this fantasy world full of beautiful colours. Made with a lot of heart, it’s a piece that both children and adults can appreciate and enjoy. [Grade: A-]

Watch this film if you liked: Princess Mononoke or The Breadwinner,