The Secret of Kells (2009)

Powerful

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Every now and then, you find an animated film that should have gotten far more widespread love than it deserved, and that film is the Oscar nominated animated Irish film, The Secret of Kells. Despite meeting with rave reviews, it simply did not get enough worldwide attention outside its home country, or even outside Europe. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful movie that offers just the right amount of substance to click with audiences.The main story centers around the abbot Cellach of Kells, who is very determined to keep the small village protected by a giant wall from a possible viking attack. Meanwhile, his nephew Brendan gains a golden opportunity to embrace his imagination in the abbey's scriptorium to help famous illustrator Aidan finish the famous book of Kells to keep knowledge going. Such tasks include dodging wall buildings, venturing into the forbidden forest in search of berries to make ink, and getting help from the forest spirit Aisling. Simple enough storyline, yet what really elevates the movie is the artistry and passion displayed on the screen. The artwork is a gorgeous throwback to ancient illustrations created in a more geometric albeit symbolic design rather than realism. The character designs look like they came out of an Irish painting, the character animation is pretty smooth and crisp, and the use of color is astonishing, from the more simple calm green Irish atmosphere, to the darkish red tones for the vikings, to even a great use of mellow blue to emphasize sadness and fear.As for the characters, pretty much all of them are well thought out and intriguing. Brendan is the curious lad who grows enthusiastically fascinated by the book and how it is made (as well as the audience), Aisling does mess with Brendan at first but soon helps him complete the book to shine light in the dark, and Cellach may be stern and tough but is only trying to protect himself and his people from vikings out of fear which isolated him from the real magic of the book. Finally, there's Brother Aidan of Iona; despite showing his old age, he is very determined to keep all knowledge in literature and will do anything to keep such work passed on so that the language of art and literature won't be forgotten. The other characters like Pangur Ban and the other illuminator monks do serve a good purpose in keeping the book's magic in tact and by being good supporters for Brendan along the way.Overall, by blending fantasy and darkness with phenomenal illustration, The Secret of Kells is an all around gorgeous film with a clever story, engaging characters, interesting philosophies on Celtic culture, breathtaking animation, and sublime music. While I do think it could have been longer to answer a few character arcs and to pad the ending out a little bit, I still deem it a very wonderful film with great respect for art and knowledge. Had it not been for wise men and literature, there's a good chance knowledge would be forgotten and the darkness would not be lifted, which is something me must relinquish to remember the hope that lies in the world. As someone who wishes to bring light into people's eyes with his own work, I deem this movie a big influence, and I thank it for inspiring me to create cleverly imaginative stories and for giving me an interest in Irish culture itself.

The style is fully realized, flat, detailed and pure with its mythology, it manages to enthrall the viewer with the story of such magnificent book.

The Secret of Kells is the first film made by the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, and the first film directed by Tomm Moore. And as far as debut films go, this is simply stunning. Telling the fictitious origin story for the historical Book of Kells, it is probably the animated movie with the most striking visual style I've ever seen. European medieval paintings suddenly spring to life on screen with this film, with most of the backgrounds and character designs heavily mimicking medieval designs, but with a distinct cartoonish slant.And it looks gorgeous! Every frame of this film is a painting ready to be hanged on a wall, and what makes it even better is the fact that the film's story talks about the illustration of a book. The Book of Kells has been a long time project for a Master Illustrator Aidan, but now he has been forced to flee from his island home into the Monastery of Kells because Viking raiders are coming, pillaging and looting everything in their way. In that monastery he meets young Brendan, an apprentice illustrator, who he sends into the surrounding forest to look for materials to make ink. In there Brendan meets many wonders and horrors, among them a female forest spirit named Aisling.This film is balm for the soul of anyone who has ever appreciated traditional hand-drawn animation. Everything from character designs to movement to rhythm works absolutely wonderfully, and at times you quite honestly miss what the characters are saying because you're so busy staring.Unfortunately, where the film falters a little bit is the story. It starts out very well, and is given more depth with the exploration of Brendan's two father figures. The strict abbot of the monastery, his uncle Cellach, and the more free-spirited and relaxed Aidan, who allows Brendan to explore his true passion. But after the second act the film simply seems to give up and the final third act is barely ten minutes long. It's like they ran out of budget and had to cram half an hour's worth of story into ten minutes. It doesn't rhyme at all and quite frankly ruins a perfectly good film. Now, it is possible that the choice was intentional in order to achieve a more mythological, legendary tone for the story, but in an animated film made in the 21st century it nevertheless seems extremely jarring.But, if you're going to see this film, see it for the visuals. The story is good enough to keep you interested, but it's the visuals that will probably bring you back if you're going to see it a second time.

I always love animation with different imagination with we see in daily animation. Here we saw magical colors spreads blowing our eyes by its beautiful light composition. And the ending is the best one. All it could be said in one word: gorgeous. But the story just so lame, hard to catch any message here. Or maybe it hidden and I'm too stupid to know. Very hard to know the meaning of pictures there and no alphabetical on the book. The Aisling song sang in unspeakable language. If anyone has it lyric please reply me. Its beautiful song, and voice, and I hope it meaning. Aisling voice is remarkably a picture of spirit, specially the giggles. Enjoy :)