Review: The Secret of Kells

Dir. Tomm Moore & Nora Twomey (2009)

The following review contains minor spoilers.

A leader driven by fear turns his back on intellectuals and artists to focus on building a giant wall to keep out threats. That's not...timely...at all. 

The Secret of Kells is a fascinating movie, it’s traditional-looking art style takes a pretty big risk with the medium, blending medieval illuminations, Celtic themes, and M. C. Escher style sensibilities. I had never seen anything like it and found the visual style to be utterly enthralling the entire time. It’s possible to to be completely un-invested in the story or characters and still have a fantastic time watching this film due to it’s astounding aesthetic alone.

While the whimsical art style lends a light, breezy tone to the proceedings; its hard-edged medieval inspiration allows it to jolt from fairy-tale to nightmare. This aspect may make it a bit frightening for young children as this story can get really grim. The lead character lacks any real depth but the three supporting characters are utterly fascinating, unfortunately though, their motivations and personal stories are only hinted at. Through this, there’s enough depth in the story to keep most adults at least interested, though they may feel like they wanted more when all is said and done.

I would personally be thrilled if Ashling got her own movie! The narrative tone and music are spot on, both feeling historic, fantastical, and unpredictable. It’s the surprisingly easy combination of strict Catholic religion and Celtic mythology. Based on the fairy tale origin of the Book of Kells, the movie takes creative license with the story, but these changes end up only making the result a more interesting movie.

Overall, if you are a fan of animation, a family with children who aren’t easily frightened, or someone really into Irish folklore, I highly recommend to you The Secret of Kells. If the abstract style of the visuals isn’t your thing or you are looking for a more complex story with a fully-realized, fleshed out lead character, these secrets may not be for you.

-Josh Evans