The Red Turtle

We're in Ilkley, ready to take in some more of the unnaturally good weather (for the UK). We're here to hike up to its famous moors and take in sum' of t'Yorkshire countryside. However, on the train ride from Leeds, I spy that Ilkley's independent art-house cinema is showing a screening of The Red Turtle that starts 10 minutes after our train arrives. Having missed its major cities run (and as ardent Ghibli fans) we put the hike on temporary hold and rush over from the station and get settled into the very comfortable Ilkley Cinema (replush with soft sofas) for what promises to be an animated treat.

The wide release of The Red Turtle has emphasised the Studio Ghibli connection. With reason as well - the legendary Japanese studio have produced some of the greatest films of all time (including possibly my favourite film, Princess Mononoke). The Red Turtle exhibits the usual traits of that studio - audience friendly with just the right amount of experimental story-telling/animation and a strong natural environment hook. However The Red Turtle is in fact a co-production with the French company Wild Bunch studios and exhibits an interesting mix of European and Japanese ethos to its animation and story-telling. The film is the brain child of Dutch-British animator Michaël Dudok de Wit in his feature film debut.

A simple story gives way to a thoughtful, intelligent and slightly melancholic tale 

There are too many amazing stills to select from this film!

The Red Turtle follows a nameless man, who is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. His only company are the local crabs and has a limited food supply. He makes several attempts to escape the island aboard a raft he has fashioned but is constantly stopped by mysterious force, which turns out to be a giant red turtle. With impending madness and loneliness, the man goes to extreme ends to escape the island. After an initially hostile relationship with the titular character, it soon gives way to a much closer bond and the man soon discovers that maybe what he was really looking for was closer than he thinks...

The art design of the film is a fascinating fusion of European and Japanese styles, blended with both traditional and modern animation styles. The European ethos can be felt in the design of the human characters, who recall the works of Belgian cartoonist Hergé, with particular reference to his Tintin series. With that said, it's easy to see why Ghibli was so keen to pick up on this project. The gorgeous pastoral backgrounds and animal animation are clearly the hand of Ghibli, who revel in detailed depictions of the natural world. Everything from the gusts of wind to the scurrying of tiny crab to the breathtaking underwater scenes are rendered in loving detail. The relatively simple facial designs gives way to some incredibly subtle animation. The film also uses a tasteful amount of 3D animation to bring the story fully to life. It can be a cheap technique to employ but here it is used to great effect to create larger than life creatures and weather effects. Thus, the film is a wonderful fusion of styles that completely works to sell its story. It's almost unbelievable that this is de Wit's debut film, as his attention to detail and careful craft are akin to that of a master filmmaker. It's a bit of a cliche to say this but every frame of this film could be hung up in a gallery. 

Stunning animation and beautiful background work give way to a rich work of art

The Red Turtle works best with little-to-no-information on the film - even the images I have had to select carefully!

In a bold move, de Wit chooses to a pursue a dialogueless film, letting the gorgeous animation, sound-effects and music tell the story. This is pure cinema at its finest. The fact that you feel a feel a strong emotional connection to its main character over the course of the run time is a testament to the filmmaking. Whether it's quiet moments of reflection or an avant garde dream sequence, the pace is almost dreamlike.  The film ultimately builds up to a powerful and melancholic conclusion, that somewhat recalls Ghibli's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. The film has the feel of a fable - a story you recognise and may have heard a long time ago but can't quite recall how you first heard it. The mood is just perfect - it's in no rush to reach its conclusion and lets the scenes naturally play out. The man's steady exploration of the island. The careful building of the raft. Settling into island life. The slower pace works well with Ghibli's ethos and the quiet animation complements it. It's a simple story, so the twists the narrative takes and the event that happen are best left undiscussed in this review. To do so would be a discredit to the quiet magic the film builds up. The Red Turtle doesn't look down on its audience and assumes they can follow along with the powerful images. I was quite fascinated listening to a child's quiet running commentary in the screening on how he interpreted the scenes and changing moods of the film. 

Without giving too much away, The Red Turtle is a gorgeous film that hooks you in with an intriguing premise that continues to surprise over its dialogueless 80 minute run time. De Wit has come out of the wood works as a master animator and employing the unique talents of Studio Ghibli only helps to bolster this work of art. It will leave you pondering for a while after the screening. It's the breathtaking animation and the simple (but deeply intelligent), emotional and life-affirming tale that sticks with you. The Red Turtle arrives to a wide audience in the middle of blockbuster season and will no doubt serve as the perfect antidote to the weariness of the Hollywood films machine. The Red Turtle is a reminder of that classic adage - less is usually more.

Rating: 9/10