The Secret of Kells is a little animated feature that has been on my radar for quite some time now. The only things I really knew about it going in was that it was based off of Irish folklore and was apparently a work of pure quality. Having watched the film at last, I can confirm both of those things are true. This is a truly underrated piece of art that deserves to be remembered alongside the works of Miyazaki and the films of the Disney Renaissance for decades to come.
The story takes place many years ago in Ireland as we follow Brendan (Evan McGuire), an idealistic boy living in the Monastery of Kells with his strict uncle, Abbot Cellach (Brendan Gleeson). When a master illuminator (essentially a highly-skilled illustrator of sacred texts) by the name of Brother Aiden (Mick Lally) arrives in Kells, he takes young Brendan under his wing, training him to continue adding to his legendary Book of Iona in the face of a looming viking invasion.
While the story is a classic bit of well-spun folklore, I found the real draw here to be the absolutely stellar animation. While it doesn't necessarily have the weight or physical depth of traditionally animated films put out by Disney or Dreamworks, The Secret of Kells has a distinct style to it all its own. The entire film is reminiscent of a work of medieval art, a stained glass window or a flowing tapestry brought to life. Every scene is given its own unique look to help convey the tone. The forest is verdant and mysterious, Kells is simple and muted, the inside of the scriptorium is warm and inviting; the movie is a feast for the eyes in every sense of the word. Anyone looking for a sterling example of how art direction and character design can help enhance the more implicit features of a movie need look no further than The Secret of Kells.
Out of all this film has to offer, I feel as though the highlight of the animation comes in the form of Aisling (Christen Mooney), a forest spirit whom Brendan befriends upon venturing outside of the monastery's protective walls. As is appropriate for a forest spirit, this character is positively brimming with life; everything from her facial expressions to her movement patterns to the ebb and flow of her hair is animated with such enthusiasm, she steals just about every scene she's in. My only gripe with this character is how little we see of her. It's obvious that animation of this quality isn't cheap, but an extra ten minutes or so would have really helped round things out in terms of story and pacing. As it stands, the film is only just over an hour long. While I do love what is there, I can't help but wish there was more. It's a minor flaw in a nearly flawless film, but a flaw nonetheless.
The Secret of Kells is just a beautiful piece of work no matter what way you look at it. The art design and animation are positively stunning, the voice cast is superb, and it captures the kind of folk-tale tone it's going for with aplomb. The story could have gone on a tad longer for my tastes, but this is a film that has absolutely no fat to it. The only downside I can find is that there simply isn't more of it. If you haven't seen it already, there's really no reason to continue denying yourself such a treat. Seek out a copy and give it a watch, I promise you won't be disappointed.
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