WILDWOOD Review

The newest film from LAIKA is the stop-motion animated film Wildwood, based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. Written by Chris Butler and directed by Travis Knight, the film adaptation follows a girl named Prue, who finds herself entering a mystical forest alongside her classmate Curtis in order to rescue her brother, who was taken away by a murder of crows.

Wildwood is simply stunning on screen from beginning to end, making for one of this decade's best animated movies so far.

The stop-motion animation is gorgeous, allowing the audience to see the hard work put into this film in every frame. The character designs are well thought out, with the human and animal designs being equally impressive. The visual effects seamlessly expand on these details. There's never a moment that doesn't remind you why stop-motion animation is such a valuable art form.

The production design is immaculate. A total of 136 sets were built, and they all contribute to creating a world that feels very lived-in. The inside of the woods is a grand world, with many distinct buildings and plenty of nature. It's hard to ever take your eyes off everything around these characters. The creation of this world is a grand achievement on its own.

The voice cast is stacked. Peyton Elizabeth Lee, who voices our protagonist, Prue, is one of the lesser-known names in the cast, but her work is top-notch. The emotion and personal stakes are always present in Prue's voice as her desperation to save her brother drives her forward. Jacob Tremblay is a very welcome addition as the nerdy classmate Curtis, and his voice acting always proves he's one of the best talents of his age range. Many side characters are played by well-known actors, from Carey Mulligan, as the main villain Alexandra, to Richard E. Grant, Angela Bassett, and Mahershala Ali, all of whom stand out in their own ways. The only weak link is Awkwafina, whose easily identifiable voice makes her stand out from everyone else in a distracting way.

The character motivations are strong and are what really drive the story forward. Prue wants to save her brother, who was carried away into this forest; Alexandra wants her son back and will stop at nothing to do it. These stakes are simple but strong enough to drive the conflict forward. The lore explored throughout the film is well-paced, revealing information slowly to effectively reshape your understanding of what is going on.

Prue's love for her brother, her guilt over feeling responsible for him even being in the situation, and her determination to bring him back all give such a strong foundation for the journey we go on with our protagonist. Despite everything she learns along the way, her motivation and love never dwindle. This locked me into the journey all the way through, as I wanted to see her succeed.

It cannot be overstated how impressive the direction here is. This film took years to perfect, and it was well worth it. Every shot is meticulously set up and thought out, and everything flows seamlessly. The work Travis Knight did allowed this grand experience to come to life.

All of this culminated in what was not only one of my favorite theater experiences of the last few years but also my new choice for best animated film of the 2020s thus far. It's an impressive achievement all around, and one I'll be thinking about for a long time.

🍿 SCORE = 98 / 100