Tomm Moore

(YouTube Streaming, December 2021) I’m not that fond of Irish mythology (both in the sense of “mythology originating from Ireland” and also “look how wonderful Ireland is”), but WolfWalkers is a deft animated fairytale that looks quite unlike most other animated films and manages something new, while remaining faithful to the principles of the form. It’s not exactly coming from anywhere — it’s clearly kin to director Tomm Moore’s previous The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, but it seems stronger and more self-assured in its storytelling. Much of the story revolves around the young daughter of a hunter hired to clear the forest around Kilkenny circa 1650. But our heroine makes surprising discoveries that blur the distinction between human and wolf, hunter and hunted. It’s all gorgeously illustrated through 2D imagery that harkens back to Celtic iconography, but with enough of a fun modern twist to make it immensely accessible. The protagonist is quite likable, and the film effortlessly touches upon environmentalism, authoritarianism and family values as pillars of what the film has to say. It’s quite lovely, and I can think of far more objectionable family films being far more widely circulated. WolfWalkers will never become a mass hit, but it will endure a long legacy of favourable word of mouth and recommendations.

(On Cable TV, May 2019) All right, what’s wrong with me? Writer-director Tomm Moore’s Song of the Sea is a top-notch fantasy animated film, wonderfully animated in 2D, reminiscent of Miyazaki, heartfelt and story-driven like few other contemporary animated films … and I didn’t actually like it all that much. I’ll play the “personal preferences” card here—the film’s 2D animation is in a cute style that doesn’t grab me, and it leans hard on Irish mythology, which is not something I respond to. I would strongly recommend having a look at the film’s trailer before committing to a full viewing—if you like what you see, then jump in because the film is exactly that. As for myself, I’m vexed—I think it’s a high-quality film, I wish there were more of those, I would rather see/recommend/praise this film than most of what I watch, yet I can’t muster up any enthusiasm for the result. I’ll note that I had a similarly muted reaction to The Secret of Kells from the same director [April 2022: … and to the later Wolfwalker, also from the same director] so there may be something there that is just not working for me, for now. Ask me again in a decade and we’ll see.