Wolfwalkers (2020)

Director: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
Stars: Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean
Runtime: 103 minutes

Synopsis: A young apprentice hunter and her father journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. But everything changes when she befriends a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe rumored to transform into wolves by night.

Verdict: Set in Ireland during the Middle Ages, "Wolfwalkers" follows a young hunter named Robyn whose perception of large canines she once viewed as a threat to the society she belongs to is challenged when she befriends a young girl with mysterious powers living among them.

More than just a fairy-tale-like adventure led by two extremely likable characters, the film also serves as a commentary on the persecution of innocent minorities in authoritarian regimes that is still going on to this day. While wolves are the sad victims here, it is made clear that what they represent is a much larger community doomed to live out their lives in fear of falling victim to men implementing fear in the minds of their followers.

In order to capture that, directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart succeeded in building an absolutely gorgeous universe using the most impressive animation work since perhaps "Into the Spiderverse". It's very reminiscent of the style used in "Song of the Sea", Moore's last directorial effort, with an emphasis on the juxtapositions between the freedoms of the wilderness and the entrapments experienced in a capitalist environment. The music perfectly complements the atmosphere and emotions displayed, which made me wish on multiple occasions that I was experiencing the film on a much larger screen.

Despite some unconvincing voice acting and a tiny bit of cheese within the narrative, I couldn't recommend "Wolfwalkers" enough. It's not only the best animated movie of the year so far, but simply one of the best films of 2020. It's a movie that will please all demographics, so make it a priority!

FINAL GRADE: 8/10