LAIKA is a stop-motion animation studio known for tremendous films like Coraline, ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings, and more. They bring fantasy stories to life and remind us why we love fairy tales, especially darker ones. They have a new movie out, called Wildwood. Let’s explore further to see if Wildwood lives up to what audiences have come to expect from the brilliant studio.
The Good
There has never been a stop-motion animated film with this scale before, and the folks LAIKA successfully pulled it off. It’s a huge story with tons of lore, and they brought it to life. This movie has the scale of Lord of the Rings, but with stop-motion. It’s not just any stop-motion, either. It’s the most lifelike and fluid stop-motion animation ever put to screen. It all looks breathtaking as the audience is immersed into this fantastic world. It took sixteen years to make Wildwood, and every second of that work was worth it as it all shows.
This is an incredibly emotional tale from start to finish. The movie does a fantastic job getting you to care about these characters as if they were real people. There are a few jaw-dropping moments that will also make many audience members tear up. LAIKA is no stranger to emotional storytelling, but Wildwood might be the most gut-wrenching and heartfelt.
There’s plenty of exciting action in this movie, which is especially impressive to see done in stop-motion. The fights are entertaining to watch, taking advantage of sword play, catapults, rifles, skillful combat moves, and even flocks of birds. It’s also surprisingly brutal. They don’t hold back with the PG-13 rating, and a lot of it is truly felt. It’s all extremely entertaining and looks fantastic.
Wildwood is extraordinarily imaginative. Watching it is like being transported to a whole new world. It feels like a modern fairy tale, and it’s a wonderful, immersive, thought-provoking experience.
Part of what makes Wildwood feel so powerful is its themes. The story touches on themes of grief, family bonds, respect for nature, and what it means to grow up. All of which are handled perfectly without ever feeling like there are too many to focus on and all feel incredibly powerful and important. They make you think about how they relate your own world and own life.
What’s also worth noting is the incredible voice acting throughout the movie. Everyone involved gives stellar performance and adds a lot of emotion to each role. It makes everything in the movie feel that much more real, even in this fantasy realm.
The Bad
There is a lot of lore, backstory, and characters for the runtime of one standalone film. Surprisingly, it still finds a way to work, but some folks might be put off by it. It does also lead to some telling rather than showing. For instance, a character tells the protagonist (and the audience) that the villain, Alexandra, “used to not be like this,” but we don’t get to see that. We only get to see her how she is now and why without ever really seeing before.
Prue, the movie’s protagonist, comes off as surprisingly mean at the start of the story. This could get some audience members to dislike her or not care for her throughout the story, or at least at first. That being said, it does lead to genuinely fantastic character development.
Conclusion
LAIKA’s Wildwood is a brilliant fantasy epic done in the most breathtaking stop-motion animation put to screen. It’s smart, emotional, and riveting. It’s probably the best movie in the studio’s lineup, and that’s saying a lot. It’s a must-see for moviegoers of all kinds.
If you’re looking to dive into a modern fairy tale with elements of Lord of the Rings and the tales from the Brothers Grimm, then Wildwood is everything you could ever want.
Rating: 10/10
Read Next: LAIKA Movies Ranked
