Wolfwalkers

Ireland, mid-17th century: The people of the village of Kilkenny are trying to clear the nearby forests on behalf of the despotic Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell in order to get more space for agriculture. But this always leads to dangerous encounters with a wolf pack that is staying there. And so the English hunter Bill Goodfellow is summoned to dispose of the unwelcome neighbors who terrify people. His daughter Robyn, on the other hand, knows no fear, dreams of becoming a great hunter like her father and sneaks into the forest herself for the purpose – to the great annoyance of her father. One day she meets Mebh, a wild little girl who lives with the wolves and can turn into one herself.

Even if his films weren’t blockbusters, he never really reached a mass audience: Whenever Tomm Moore presents a new work, animation fans get their eyes lit up. But it always means having to be patient. His debut The Secret of Kells was released in 2009, followed in 2014 by The Melody of the Sea. Featuring Wolfwalkers, which is exclusive to the Apple TV+ streaming service appears, there is now finally the third part of his trilogy, which has been celebrated by critics worldwide. And it would be a miracle if this film didn’t at least get an Oscar nomination for best animated film of the year like its two quasi-predecessors. Because even in this often overcrowded segment there is hardly a work with a comparable visual splendor.

As always, the responsible animation studio Cartoon Saloon, together with the production partner Mélusine, relies on hand-drawn images. However, they have less of the look of classic cartoons and look like a mixture of printing techniques from yesteryear and watercolor paintings. The result is very blocky drawings made with thick strokes against often rigid, simple backgrounds. At the same time, however, Wolfwalkers is full of life, a celebration of color, especially when we switch to the perspective of the wolf people, with colorful smells snaking through the air. In general, everything here is very playful, a work that was created out of a pure desire to be creative, not through an attempt to depict a conforming reality.

• Wolfwalkers