The Secret of Kells: Review By Diaigma

Animated features with an independent film flair often lack the power to rival the top studios of the industry, but every once is a while, an unexpected gem dares to contend. Though rocky and not always clear on where the story is going, this film manages to achieve a return to the traditional while providing an air of innovation and mystery. Those unacquainted with Celtic history may not know about the famous Book of Kells and its Insular art (a primitive graphic novel, if you will) that this film is loosely based on. If you integrate that concept with a youthful surge of imagination and the signs of dark times, you are given a story with a hidden message that begs to move your soul. At times garbled and often lacking demand from its characters, The Secret of Kells still delivers the beauty and dangers of life, like a Celtic kaleidoscope, rendering surreal consequences of how one chooses to perceive the world.

Young Brendan has never left the confines of his uncle's abbey in all his life, warned that the world beyond their walls are filled with peril and death, but doubt stirs this lad with the arrival of Aidan, a master of illumination, who comes with tales of destructive Vikings who lay waste to every village they pillage. Impressed by Brendan's curiosity and attention to detail, Aidan dares Brendan to sneak outside the walls for gall nuts (for ink), but the last thing Brendan expected to find after disobeying his uncle was Aisling, a young girl who claims to be a fairy. With her help, Brendan uncovers the Eye of Collum-Cille, a gem that inspires illuminators for their books-but will Brendan be able to learn this precious art from Aidan before the Vikings come for them?

What I Dug:

Art - a feast for the eyes and rather hard to tell what is traditional and what is CGI (the lines that define them are very thin). The film's visuals and mesmerizing techniques is sure to maintain interest.

Voices - all cast members gave a dramatic, rich and authentic performance, providing a feel for the personalities of every character upon their first line of dialogue. Once established, these characters never deviate in purpose and goal, making for enamoring firelight conversations.

Message - while the uncle builds his abbey walls as high as he can, mostly for fear of invasion, Brendan seeks knowledge and learning that can only be found beyond those walls. By the film's conclusion, a message rings clear that ignorance confines and fear destroys while knowledge liberates and learning makes. A life may go to waste through isolating oneself of experiences.

What I Buried:

Plot - it's easy enough to follow, but the direction it takes does not always make sense, and you may wonder at times what purpose a particular scene had. Though loosely based on the story behind the origins of The Book of Kells, it never fully decides to stay grounded in reality or soar into fantasy. It was refreshing, however, to see the portrayal of a grounded (wingless) fairy.

Vikings - these towering [square] monoliths of death exist purely for convenience and the uncle's self-fulfilled prophecy . . . and they grunt like cavemen. Really? For their doom and carnage, as they are perceived, their forms and motives are rigid, which only seems to intimidate their victims.

The Secret of Kells received a deserving nomination for Best Animated Feature in 2009, but the overall production did not aspire high enough to compete with the likes of UP. This is still a well-recommended and cultural escape for curious renters and fans of animation alike, a film that grants provocation of thought and emotion, if only you are daring enough to look.

(By Movieweb's Diaigma: resemblance to other reviews is purely coincidental)