Pi@LFF: Review Of Cartoon Saloon's 'Wolfwalkers'

Featured in the BFI London Film Festival 2020, Cartoon Saloon’s fourth animated feature “Wolfwalkers” is a visually stunning homage to Irish folklore and history.

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Whimsical, visually stunning and charming, “Wolfwalkers” is an immersive and compelling experience that takes the viewer straight into the pages of a picture book. Cartoon Saloon, the Irish animation studio behind the Academy Award-nominated films “The Secret of Kells”, “Song of the Sea” and “The Breadwinner”, once again proves that 2D animation is still a worthwhile and substantial artform.

“Wolfwalkers” follows Robyn Goodfellowe, an apprentice wolf-hunter who recently moved to Kilkenny with her father during the reign of Oliver Cromwell in the mid-1600s. Robyn’s world is turned upside down when she meets Mebh, a Wolfwalker: someone who turns into a wolf when they are asleep. Robyn and Mebh bond instantly, and when Robyn becomes a Wolfwalker herself, she is forced to choose between her newfound family and freedom, and the life her father attempts to build in the city. 

The world of “Wolfwalkers” is all about contrasts. Where Kilkenny is depicted with sharp lines and right angles, the woods are composed of swirls and meandering lines that intersect and diverge at random. Where the soldiers under Cromwell’s command move mechanically, the wolves move like water. Robyn stands out visually, her youthful brightness and small form contrasting starkly against the dark grey lines of Kilkenny, highlighting the fact that she doesn’t quite seem to fit in her current life. Additionally, Mebh’s fiery red hair, feral character design, and wild demeanour pose a major difference to the rigidly uniform town and its inhabitants. Oftentimes, when she moves, all you see is her red mane bouncing around like an agitated ball of fur.

Cromwell, on the other hand, looms over every scene he features in. In our introduction to him, he fills the screen with his vast body, recalling the depiction of Kingpin in “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse.” Cromwell isn’t a particularly fleshed out character: he’s more of an ideology than a person, but this is why he is such an effective villain in this story. He is completely rigid and one-dimensional, whereas Robyn and Mebh, both Wolfwalkers, by definition are fluid in identity and dual in form. Voice actor Simon McBurney is perfect as Cromwell, delivering each line with power and gravity.

The most impressive and interesting aspect of “Wolfwalkers” is the animation style. The feature is entirely hand drawn, and unapologetically so. During certain scenes, the animators leave in their rough sketch lines, making them look unruly and incomplete. However, these imperfections are clearly not there by accident or neglect. The medium is used not only for aesthetic purposes but also for symbolic reasons. The backgrounds in the forest are distinctly more sketched and unfinished, whereas the scenes in the city are crisp and polished. The same can be said for the characters, with certain scenes that include the wolves and Wolfwalkers still featuring the rough sketches of their bodies. This subtle detail adds dimension and atmosphere, generating a world that can only exist in animation. It feels whimsical and untamed, complementing the tone and story of “Wolfwalkers” perfectly. Interestingly, Robyn is never shown with sketch lines until the climax of the film when she finally accepts her newfound identity and community among the wolves. She becomes part of the forest through the change in art style.

Another intriguing aspect of the visual style is the mesmerising background art. The design of Kilkenny is completely 2D; in scenes outside the city the audience sees each house laid out in the background like a flat pattern instead of the sky. Each frame looks like a tapestry, or something out of a picture book. It is utterly stunning to look at. 

“Wolfwalkers”, despite all of its artistic sophistication, is quite clearly intended for a younger audience. The initial slow pace and predictability becomes wearisome for the viewer; we are introduced to the characters over and over, and while it gives us the chance to drink in the beautiful artwork, the characters are simply not complicated enough for this to be continually interesting.

The movie also occasionally relies too heavily on dialogue and often spoon-feeds us the story. The lines the characters say are repetitive and expositional, and make the characters feel cartoonish and flat. Perhaps the most frustratingly on the nose moment of “Wolfwalkers” is the montage in which Mebh shows Robyn how great it is to be a Wolfwalker. The sequence is charming, but it was essentially ruined by the gratuitous use of AURORA’s song “Running with the Wolves” in the background. This choice feels ridiculous particularly when the rest of the feature is beautifully scored by Bruno Coulais in rustic folk-inspired tones. Not only was the addition of this song cliché, it also didn’t feel congruent with the rest of movie’s musical landscape. While it is a shame that these flaws occasionally drown out the many merits of “Wolfwalkers”, there is something to be said for the childlike wonder that exudes from its narrative simplicity. The story is distinctly rooted in folklore and fairytale, two genres that have a timeless quality defined by poignant clichés and tropes.

Nevertheless, “Wolfwalkers” is a stunning achievement. Thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining both visually and emotionally, it takes the viewer on a whimsical journey through a world brimming with magic and wonder. The sheer creative talent and flair showcased makes me wish that more studios were invested in 2D and hand-drawn animation. “Wolfwalkers” is proof that this medium does not pose any limitations, but rather is full of opportunity and potential for artistic achievement that 3D animation can only hope to accomplish.

“Wolfwalkers” will be released theatrically 30 October and available for streaming on Apple TV+ 11 December.