LFF Review: ‘Wolfwalkers’
In the year of our Lord, 1650, on the outskirts of Kilkenny, Ireland, wolves circle the woods, snarling at those who take their axes to the ancient trees. Leading them are the Wolfwalkers, mystical women acting as legendary protectors, commanding the pack and healing the wounded. This is an age of pitchforks and witch hunts, and the English, led by the Lord Protector (Simon McBurney), turn the townspeople against the wolves. A reluctant hunter (Sean Bean) goes into the forest daily and his daughter Robyn (Honor Kneafsey) is eager to follow.
Robyn’s adventure into the woods doesn’t go as she expects, and she quickly befriends young wolfwalker Mebh (Eva Whittaker). It’s a classic animated arc, learning that those you’ve been taught to hate are just like you, and deserve to thrive. Children like Robyn and Mebh are the best drivers for change, more open-minded and in their naivety, less scared of consequences, trusting the innate human morality that has been clouded over with worry for their parents.
The gorgeous hand-drawn animation reinforces the ideological divide in the style of a storybook. The town, subjugated by the colonising English force, is made of sharp edged geometric shapes like diluted stained glass and the houses are haphazard woodblock prisons. The forest meanwhile, is full of smooth curving lines, watercolour rushing free, curling and consuming Robyn in autumnal bliss.
The magic of ‘Wolfwalkers’ is utterly enchanting, golden Celtic designs covering the landscape, uniting the characters with nature and their culture. These intricate patterns are highly symbolic of the uprising of native power against militant Christian colonialism. While being historically relevant to the times of Oliver Cromwell, the story is equally perennial in the ongoing fight against colonialism and the battle of environmentalists to save the planet.
Will Collins’ script is intelligent and unafraid to make the rhetoric clear and hateful; the Lord Protector’s propaganda against the wolves is a clear diversion tactic from the real enemy. Showing how the dictator turns the people against their culture while calling them savage beasts is an effective political example, one that echoes the traumatising villainy of Judge Frollo of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’.
This impressively layered philosophy is matched by equally winning characters that transcends tropes with a clear passion. The charming young voice actors are parented by legends Sean Bean and Maria Doyle Kennedy, and there is a show-stealing falcon named Merlin guaranteed to steal the hearts of viewers. The soundtrack is ethereal, and a sequence to AURORA’s “Running with the Wolves” is perfectly tuned to the uplifting, spiritual atmosphere.
Cartoon Saloon’s legacy of articulate artistry continues, fueled by a personal touch as the story takes place in the town where their studios are based. The fascinating folklore presents a unique contribution to the powerful Irish voice at this year’s LFF, presented alongside modern tales ‘Wildfire’ and ‘Herself’. ‘Wolfwalkers’ is a family film that will warm up this freezing season with its enigmatic elegance and fiery fervour, a surefire Oscar contender. – Fatima Sheriff
Rating: 4.5/5
‘Wolfwalkers’ will be out in UK cinemas on the 30th October and out on VOD on Apple TV+ on the 11th December.