The Secret of Kells
Through Movies in Frames, I have encountered many films which I otherwise would have completely neglected. When a film has great visuals, it is possible that I will end up liking the entire package. In the case of “Stalker” (I am currently obsessed with the film huh?) it really is the case. Showing only 4 screenshots of a film makes it possible to point to certain details which would otherwise be overlooked, and sometimes some of these details alone are enough to make a film worthwhile to see. “The Secret of Kells” is the kind where a screenshot captivated me.
Indeed, the movie is stunningly beautiful. The landscape constantly reminded me of the universe in the Zelda: Skyward Sword. Without a doubt, the background design for the film could have been a piece of artwork for itself. But… what was the point of the film? We have a little boy whose mission was to, uh, write a book? For who? For what? Why was there an enemy in the first place? I have always had a tendency to dislike fantasy and favor science fiction, because science fiction is so damn meaning – and most fantasy stories are so disturbingly one-dimensional. It’s always a little orphaned boy, there is some adventure and at the end of the story he will do something great.
Perhaps I am even more disappointed because this is animation and for some reason I don’t quite understand, the film is being praised. For what? Certainly it looked beautiful and it had likable characters, heck it even had Brendan Gleeson, but nothing else. I am so tired of animated films which are largely an exercise in style, and I think it is inhibiting the genre of animated film to be taken seriously. I understand that not every film can be “Spirited Away”, but this kind of film just doesn’t help. Luckily it seems that the movie is already plunging into oblivion, so I might have nothing to worry about.
Bottom line: It was an acceptable, very beautiful film. But ultimately forgettable.