‘Wildwood’: A Spectacular Stop-Motion Masterpiece
Early on in Wildwood, the latest stop-motion feature from the acclaimed animation studio Laika, we follow our protagonist, Prue, as she rides her bicycle through the city of Portland, Oregon. With her baby brother in tow, she zooms past various landmarks like the Portland Oregon White Stag sign and Powell’s Books, as well as some of the eclectic souls who call the city home. At one point, we pass by an artist selling some of her works on the street, and we cut to a sign on one of her tables that says “Enjoy Handmade Art Before It’s Gone for Good!” This brief moment is not only an Easter egg, as the artist is modeled after Carson Ellis, who did the illustrations for the original book this film is based on, but also a strong creative statement.
Wildwood has been in development since 2011, and to say much has changed since then would be the understatement of the century. Stop-motion has become rarer and rarer, as many studios see it as too time consuming and not worth investing in. Not to mention the rise of AI has greatly impacted entertainment and what people are choosing to spend their time watching. But director Travis Knight and the talented hands at Laika continue to beat the drum for the medium, and pushed forward to make Wildwood, a fantasy epic that marks the studio’s biggest effort to date and is the longest stop-motion film of all time. Like some of Laika’s best projects, this film is creative, engaging, and downright astonishing. This is a true labor of love from all involved and serves as a powerful reminder that there is nothing like watching a film that was made completely by human hands.
Teenager Prue (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) lives in the city of Portland with her parents (voiced by Jake Johnson and Maya Erskine) and her baby brother, Mac (voiced by Arthur Knight). One day, her parents go out and leave her in charge of Mac and expressly forbid her from taking him outside. She defies their instructions and takes him out for a fun day in the city. While at a playground, Mac is carried away by a murder of crows into a forest, referred to as “Impassable Wilderness”, on the edge of town. Prue, alongside her classmate, Curtis (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) go into the forest to find Mac, and enter a whole new world.
I’ve been fascinated by stop-motion ever since I was a kid when I watched The Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time. This was the first time I was truly aware of stop-motion as a medium, and I became even more impressed by the film and stop-motion in general as I grew older and learned what all went into creating it. From then on, I’ve always had a deep respect and love for stop-motion animated projects, and I am always excited when a new stop-motion film comes out. Laika is at the forefront of the medium in the present day, and I have at least liked all of the films they’ve put out. Their great track record continues with Wildwood, which ranks among their best and features some of the most impressive work they’ve ever done and some of the most impressive stop-motion animation that I’ve seen, period.
All of Laika’s films look incredible, and this is no exception. The world of Wildwood is so fully realized and detailed, and it’s hard not to feel immersed in it. The character design is also excellent, specifically when it comes to the many animal characters in the film. The humans are reminiscent of the typical Laika style, and the animals carry some of the same sensibilities. They find a good medium between the animals being cartoonish and realistic, both in appearance and physicality. Not to mention that the film’s representation of the city of Portland feels extremely authentic and genuine despite it being a set. The level of care and craftsmanship put into the film is strongly felt every step of the way, and the hard work put in by the film’s animators pays off big time.
Perhaps the most impressive moments come in the film’s final act, where there are multiple moments that had me wondering just how they pulled them off. There is a major battle scene in this section and the sheer volume alone made me feel like I was watching something out of a classic Hollywood epic. This alone blew me away, but there are several visuals from here to the end of the film that left me gobsmacked. Obviously, I won’t spoil them here, but I am still trying to wrap my head around just how they were able to create such amazing imagery by hand. There are also several moments like this throughout the film, where I was completely glued to the screen in wonder and awe at the power, beauty, and emotions that the film radiates. It is a stunning achievement through and through, and is arguably Laika’s best work yet.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was just how dark it is. Laika’s output has always had a bit of a darker edge to them compared to other modern animated family films, but Wildwood is on a completely different level. The film wastes no time getting into its heavier subject matter, as it opens on a deeply upsetting incident that becomes clearer and more significant later in the film. I won’t spoil it here, but the opening scene really shocked me as I didn’t see it coming and because it is hands down the darkest thing I’ve seen in a Laika movie. To be fair, the film is rated PG-13, so I knew this was going to be a bit different from Laika’s previous films. But still, the opening scene and numerous moments throughout really surprised me with how dark it got. I personally loved that it didn’t shy away from exploring weightier themes like death and grief, and I appreciated that it presents them in a way that doesn’t feel overwrought while still allowing them to have a solid impact. This may be a fantasy film, but it has such real themes and emotions at its core. This helps the film fire on all cylinders, making it one that is visually stunning and isn’t afraid to lay a few narrative gut punches.
As to be expected from a Laika project, the voice cast is excellent. Peyton Elizabeth Lee is exceptional, and breathes life into the character of Prue. The character is your average teen, but Lee brings out the drive and emotions within the character so well, and makes her quite compelling. Carey Mulligan is great as well, taking on the role of Alexandra, the film’s antagonist. The character herself has some layers, and Mulligan embraces them fully. She walks the line between villain and sympathetic figure with precision, and she is arguably the most interesting character in the film as a result. I also really liked the performances from Tom Waits, Angela Bassett, Jacob Tremblay, Tantoo Cardinal, and Jake Johnson quite a bit, but truly everyone in the cast is good across the board. It’s a strong ensemble through and through, and I don’t think there’s a bad performance in the bunch.
While watching Wildwood, I thought to myself “If I had seen this when I was a teenager, I’d be insufferable about this.” What I mean by this, is that this film has so much of what I love about movies in it that it would have truly changed my life if I saw it at a younger age and I wouldn’t be able to shut up about it. But truth be told, it is mindblowing enough to where I might not be able to shut up about it after watching it in my thirties. It is the type of film that made me feel younger watching it, as it called to mind the types of stories I enjoyed reading and watching when I was a teen. It filled me with a sense of amazement and wonder that I haven’t felt while watching a movie in a long time, and I was completely blown away by it. Wildwood is one of the most spectacular animated films I’ve seen in years, and it is easily one of Laika’s best. While we live in a world where handmade works like it are not always given the attention they deserve, this film reminds you why they are so important and takes viewers on an incredible adventure.
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