Every few years, a mesmerizing, intricate, handcrafted piece of cinema from Laika Studios graces the silver screen and whisks audiences away on a wondrous journey. From director Travis Knight, plus hundreds of pairs of animators’ hands, comes the stop-motion animated film Wildwood. Based on the children’s novel by the same name, the story follows Prue McKeel on the quest to get her baby brother back after he is abducted by a flock of crows and taken into the deepest part of the woods.
Prue, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, is a headstrong, daring teenager who lives in Portland, Oregon, with her mother, father, and baby brother Mac. Prue’s father tells cautionary tales of the woods just outside the city, but she dismisses his warnings as fairy tales. Although her parents instruct her not to take Mac outside while they are away, Prue ignores their request and takes him for a joyride in the wagon attached to her bike.
The animated city of Portland is gorgeous, clearly a love letter from the animators complete with wacky cyclists and hipster coffee shops. Prue and Mac bump into Curtis, a nervous and awkward classmate of Prue’s voiced by Jacob Tremblay. He joins them on the way to Mac’s favorite playground, which is where disaster strikes. An unsettling number of crows begin to appear in the park, and before Prue can stop them, they descend on Mac and carry him away. Prue jumps into action immediately, unaware that Curtis is scooped up by the wagon behind her.
Wildwood is not a place that just anyone can find, but rather, it is a part of the forest that appears to someone with magic in their blood. It is a perfect blend of whimsical and sinister, which I think Laika films excel at. Because Prue and Curtis get separated in Wildwood shortly after arriving, they each have drastically different experiences of it. Prue finds allies in the birds of Wildwood and is a capable fighter when others learn of her presence as an “outsider.” Curtis lands in the custody of Alexandra, voiced by Carey Mulligan, a mysterious and powerful woman who is the commander of an army of coyotes.
Mere words cannot describe how breathtaking this film is. Everything, and I mean absolutely every single thing on screen was handmade, from the sets to costumes to every tiny expression on the character’s faces. The plot of this film is rich and reminiscent of classic fairy tales like Rumpelstiltskin and Alice in Wonderland. Although this is an animated film, it tackles heavy themes of loss and conflict and includes some graphic violent sequences. I especially loved the complicated and compelling backstory of Alexandra. This film is just another addition to Laika’s legacy of beautiful and haunting animated stories for viewers of all ages. I, for one, cannot wait to watch this one again.
For KSQD’s Film Gang: Isa Cortez.