“Wildwood,” the sixth feature film from Laika Studios, released in theaters on Friday, Oct. 23. The film was made using a mix of handcrafted stop motion animation, green screen effects. It was directed by Travis Knight.
“Wildwood” follows a 13-year-old girl named Prue who, while babysitting, witnesses her baby brother get abducted by a murder of crows. In an attempt to get her brother back, Prue ventures into the dense, near impenetrable forest surrounding Portland with her classmate Curtis, where they discover magical beings and a budding, larger conflict.
The film was based on the 2011 novel of the same name, written by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, and has been in production at Laika for around 16 years. As of the time of this writing, the film holds a 99% on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 4.4 star rating on Letterboxd.
The film is a technical triumph, with stunning landscapes modeled and rendered in stop-motion. The handcrafted nature of the designs gives everything a tactile, physical feel, and the sheer scale of the project is jaw dropping.
A key component of the third act is a massive battle sequence reminiscent of “Narnia” or “The Lord of the Rings.” This sequence comprises over 3,000 individual stop motion puppets and five distinct physical sets. The resulting 12-minute scene is mind-blowing and awe-inspiring.
The voice cast is also stellar, with Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay providing amazing voice work as Prue and Curtis, respectively. Mahershala Ali and Angela Bassett are great in their roles as well, but the standout is Carey Mulligan’s haunting performance as Alexandra, the malevolent governess who serves as the main antagonist. Her performance is both intimidating and sad, imbuing what could have been a one-note villain with tremendous depth.
The strengths of the film extend not only to the technical aspects, but the themes and story as well. Laika has long been praised for presenting its viewers with mature storytelling, a practice that some argue is being lost in the modern age of animation. Laika isn’t afraid to tackle tough questions and concepts, and their films have gained a cult following because of that. “Wildwood” continues this trend.
While the film may look like a stop motion delight for kids, “Wildwood,” deals with heavy themes, such as grief, loss and the fear of growing up. That coupled with a surprising PG-13 rating leads to a film unafraid to pull its punches, despite its childlike exterior. In that way, it is reminiscent of darker children’s movies of the ‘80s like “The Dark Crystal” or “The Secret of NIMH.”
This darker approach to animation makes sense given Laika’s filmography. Their first feature film was 2009’s “Coraline,” a dark fairy tale responsible for giving nightmares to an entire generation of children. Laika is also responsible for 2012’s “ParaNorman,” which centers on themes of bullying and death, as well as 2016’s “Kubo and the Two Strings,” which once again tackles the grief of losing a loved one.
Despite the critical acclaim the film has received, “Wildwood” grossed $14 million worldwide. Up against a budget of $100 million, it is set to be a major box office bomb.
Overall, “Wildwood” is a magical experience and one of the best animated movies of the year, with jaw-dropping stop motion, stellar voice acting and an emotionally complex story that will give its audience plenty to chew on.
For more information or reviews, visit the Rotten Tomatoes website.
Author: Conner Dean
Photo courtesy of Laika Studios
Editor: Payson Davis
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