LAIKA Studios has championed stop-motion animation and made some of the best films using the art. The studio has brought these titles to the big screen: Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link. I had only seen Kubo and the Two Strings before speaking with some of the creatives behind their upcoming feature, Wildwood. After hearing the hype around Coraline, I finally sat down and checked it out, and boy, was I amazed at the technical work. Then, I saw Wildwood, and I could not believe what Travis Knight and LAIKA accomplished here over a decade later.
This screenplay is based on Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’s 2011 novel of the same name. Wildwood follows a teenage girl named Prue (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her classmate Curtis (Jacob Tremblay) as they travel into an enchanted forest in search of her infant brother after he is abducted. They find a manor and learn about a coming war from a mysterious woman who tragically lost her son. For those who like a good, mature coming-of-age fantasy story like Narnia or Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, there is definitely something breathtaking to watch here.
Immediately, audiences are drawn into the various lore of the different parts of the Impassible Wilderness—from the various factions of Dowager Governess Alexandra (Carey Mulligan) and the Coyote Army, the Governor in South Wood, to the Bandits. I thought the prologue provided a sort of preview of what is to come in the story, showcasing the amazing cinematography from Caleb Deschanel (The Lion King) with the LAIKA-built environment and character models. This part provided some exposition and hooked me into this world before Prue and Curtis even entered it.
The overall story could be a lot for some viewers who have not seen a lot of fantasy movies, such as Narnia or The Lord of the Rings (LOTR). I felt like the lore dump throughout can be a double-edged sword for some viewers who may not be able to keep up with all the information. However, I argue that the visual patterns and colour palettes of the film helped keep my brain on track of what was happening. This also makes the film rewatchable because you may find some detail you missed on the first watch.
Prue and Curtis’ journeys through the Woods felt like watching LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring and LOTR: The Two Towers for the first time. We are dropped into this mystical world, and we understand the politics and what is happening in the world through the perspectives of protagonists of Wildwood—much like the Hobbits and the other Fellowship members in LOTR. The Coyote Army was giving Uruk-hai vibes to me the whole movie, and I loved that.
For this project to be something that was five or six years in production and LAIKA learning everything from their previous films, the technical work paid off in Wildwood. More often than not, I was immersed in the animation, and I forgot that this was not CGI-animated or hand-drawn animation. All of the sky shots were breathtaking and surreal because this film was primarily stop-motion, with a small amount of VFX work by WETA FX.
Two of the coolest shots for me were how certain characters came to a realization of something, or the visual storytelling wanted to fast-forward the character from past to present. It is that typical shot in movies or TV series where the background changes but the character stays in place. But the way it is shot in this film, my jaw dropped. The crazy close-ups and the way the camera made these characters feel as large as in real life were unreal.
“…the technical work paid off in Wildwood.”
Truly, Wildwood will make you question how much work was put into creating this world. I thoroughly enjoyed the nods to Portland, Oregon, in general. For someone who is from Canada, I know about these cities with big forest areas integrated. This movie reminded me of all the bike rides my brother and I would go on through the Humber Forest that runs along the Humber River in Toronto. From the lush forests to the small-town aesthetics within Portland in Wildwood, it all gave me homely vibes.
The audio design to match the spectacular and unbelievable visuals also resonated with me. Crazily enough, sounds like the street light crossing, the way a bike chain sounds, and the way certain footwear sounds traipsing through the muddy woods really stood out. The final climax of Wildwood was mind-blowing both from what I saw and from how much the sound design made this feel like a huge world.
The music and score also made every part of Wildwood feel grander than the small miniature world this would reveal if we zoomed the camera all the way out. While I do not know much about Portland music going into the film, I understood the musical language from the soundtrack alone. The soundtrack was a bit of songs you would pick when you are on a road trip with your parents, driving to a new home across the province or across state. But the score—I loved the last act score with its thunderous masterpiece—along with the opening prologue that set the tone of the film.
“Wildwood transcends age, and I would argue languages, through its visual storytelling and audio experience.”
The voice acting from Lee, Tremblay and Mulligan as its main leads was insanely emotional. Even though we are watching these handmade models emote everything, the voice work was articulate and powerful. This might be the strongest performance I have experienced from Mulligan, and I have adored her since Pride & Prejudice. Something about her performance in this was heartbreaking and realistic for a mother who would do anything for her kids. It is not a new character type of the overbearing mother, but the way Mulligan brought her emotions were sympathetically moving.
Wildwood transcends age, and I would argue languages, through its visual storytelling and audio experience. The 132-minute epic journey is worth every minute, not wasting a single frame to help explain something or move me in a way I did not expect. If Christopher Nolan is at the top of his game for his narrative use of time and using practical effects, and James Cameron is always pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling and writing fierce female characters, Knight and LAIKA achieved the pinnacle of stop-motion film filmmaking.
The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, Wallace & Gromit, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will always have a special place in my heart. But Wildwood goes beyond all that. Even though this is a darker story for younger audiences, I implore families and friends of all ages to go out to cinemas this October. Prepare to be enthralled in the Impassable Wilderness, and witness a cinematic experience of a lifetime!
