‘Wildwood’ Review: Laika’s Ambitious Stop-Motion Epic Is Both a Technical and Emotional Triumph

“I don’t know whether this is terrifying or adorable,” the central character in Laika’s new stop-motion animation film observes at one point. The answer is both, with Wildwood representing a staggering achievement from the company that has given us such superb efforts as Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings. This breathtaking fantasy adventure runs 132 minutes, setting a record as the longest stop-motion movie, but it manages to be enthralling from first moment to last.

Based on Colin Meloy’s 2011 bestselling fantasy novel of the same name featuring illustrations by Carson Ellis, the expansive storyline revolves around teenage girl Prue (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), who lives in the Portland, Oregon, area with her loving parents (Jake Johnson, Maya Erskine) and baby brother Mac (Arthur Knight). Despite her folks’ strict instructions that Mac not leave the house, Prue takes advantage of their temporary absence to take him on a joy ride through Portland, winding up in a playground where he is suddenly abducted by a murder of crows in a scene that proves just as frightening as anything in Hitchcock’s The Birds (the film deserves its PG-13 rating).

Wildwood

The Bottom Line Stupendous in every respect.

Release date: Friday, October 23
Cast: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Tom Waits, Richard E. Grant, Amandla Stenberg, Tantoo Cardinal, Len Cariou, Marc Evan Jackson
Director: Travis Knight
Screenwriter: Chris Butler
Rated PG-13, 2 hours 12 minutes

Accompanied by her nerdy friend Curtis (Jacob Tremblay), who clearly has a crush on her, Prue desperately pursues the birds into the mysterious Impassible Wilderness located nearby and inhabited by talking animals, including coyotes in red military uniforms. They’re in the service of the dowager governess Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), who once ruled the kingdom but has become unhinged with grief after the accidental death of her 12-year-old son. We eventually learn that she has orchestrated Mac’s kidnapping as part of a nefarious pact involving black magic.

Trying to find her brother, Prue — aided by Curtis, who reveals previously unseen pluck and ingenuity — encounters a variety of colorful animal and human characters as both friends and foes. They include, among others, the General (Angela Bassett), the giant eagle leader of the Avian Principality; Brendan the Bandit King (Mahershala Ali), who becomes a strong ally; Septima (Awkwafina), a brave rat with whom Curtis forms a tight connection; and Iphigenia (Tantoo Cardinal), a wise, elderly sage who acts as a sort of Yoda stand-in for the story.

The narrative and visual imagination on display is truly stunning, but they’re overshadowed by the genuine feeling in the screenplay crafted by director and Laika CEO Travis Knight and writer Chris Butler (ParaNorman, Missing Link). Alexandra is far from a cartoon villain, her motivation stemming from the traumatic loss of a son whom she vainly tried to replace with a mechanical replica. The tender family bonds between Prue and her parents and infant brother provide beautiful grace notes, as does Prue’s growing respect and affection for her classmate Curtis, whom she once considered a “loser.”

There’s plenty of humor as well, stemming from the colorful characters and situations. At one point Prue finds herself meeting with Owl Rex (a delightful Richard E. Grant), a leader in the Avian Principality, in her efforts to find her brother. She tells him that she doesn’t believe in magic.

“And here you are, talking to an owl in a waistcoat,” he tartly observes.

And, of course, action abounds, culminating in an elaborate climactic battle sequence in which Alexandra’s coyote forces are commanded by the rabidly loyal Maksim, memorably voiced by Tom Waits.

With Caleb Deschanel behind the camera (it’s the six-time Oscar nominated cinematographer’s stop-motion debut, although he previously shot Jon Favreau’s photorealistic animated remake of The Lion King), Wildwood looks gorgeous throughout. But what’s truly astonishing is the sheer scope of the effort involved in the gargantuan stop-motion production that involved some 200 practical puppets and 130 practical sets to bring the elaborate story to life. Not to mention how the puppet characters, both animal and human, feel so thoroughly lifelike throughout, completely involving us in the emotion-packed storyline.

Much credit should also go to the voice performers — who also include such notable actors as Amandla Stenberg, Blythe Danner, Rob Delaney and Jemaine Clement — who give varied, complex performances rather than merely delivering the jokey asides permeating so many animated films.

Laika’s most ambitious effort to date, Wildwood may also be the company’s masterpiece.