Review: The Red Turtle

There are several moments in The Red Turtle that stun one who love animation. With so much modern animation rendered by computers, the pen and brush feel of this new Studio Ghibli film takes on a fresh quality. Water has been a particular bench-mark for the progression and artistry of digital animation. In The Red Turtle, the water is two-dimensional and proudly old-fashioned.

Dutch animator Michael Dudok de Wit is obviously proud of the analog approach his film takes. He should be. The Red Turtle is a gorgeous film and of all the Oscar nominated animated features, it has the most memorable images. The film is also notable for its lack of dialogue. Aside from a few grunts and shouts, the film is wordless and relies on its images and Laurent Perez del Mar's score to tell its story. In this way, the film has a picture-book like quality. 

The plot involves a man who is washed ashore on a deserted island but Cast Away this is not. The island is comprised of two main areas, the sandy beach and a dense bamboo forest. The island is home to some critters including some cute crabs and the titular sea creature. As the man tries to escape the island, he encounters the Red Turtle who smashes his raft. Soon this rivalry propels the story into a fable. For some, the direction things go in may be too strange. There is some poetic license taken involving man and beast for example. However, this should not take away from the lyrical craftsmanship on display. 

The film's animation style often explores contrast. The bright and colorful island and sea turn to monochrome grey when the sun goes down. This also plays with the contrast found in the story between man and nature. The Red Turtle's pacing is the only thing that doesn't fully work. The film does slow down quite a bit in its second half and while it remains consistently gorgeous, it does not always stay engaging.

For fans of animation, The Red Turtle is a treat for the eyes. Studio Ghibli continue an unbelievable track record of releasing artistic visions of the medium. A few odd story elements and pacing issues aside, The Red Turtle is a wonderful and lush animated film. The lack of dialogue and use of purely images to tell the story beg for this to be seen in the theater. Catch it now.

4/5