The Secret of Kells

2009's THE SECRET OF KELLS is another cause for the celebration of hand drawn animation amongst increasing use of computer graphics.  This lovely take on Irish folklore and matters artistic and spiritual was created by co-directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, two of the co-founders of Cartoon Saloon, who would go on to make other highly acclaimed features you can bet I will be seeing.  The film barely runs an hour and fifteen minutes, and consequently some feel the story is rushed and incomplete.  I am not of like opinion, but would agree that a longer running time might've fleshed out this dark yet hopeful tale all the more. 

The Abbey of Kells was a monastery founded in 9th century Ireland.  There the sacred Book of Kells, an illustrated manuscript containing Biblical passages (including the Four Gospels) and other texts, was completed and housed for centuries.  This story takes place as the Abbey is under threat of Viking attack, and the stern Abbot Cellach is consumed with the erection of a wall around it for protection.  His nephew Brendan is wide eyed and eager to assist the newly arrived Brother Aidan with his Book of Iona, which is to become sacred text.  Brendon, along with Aidan's cat Pangur Ban, will make forbidden treks outside the Abbey wall on a search for special nuts from which ink to create the calligraphy and iconography can be derived.  In the forest they will meet a fairy called Aisling, who appears as a cute young girl but is also a wolf.

Eventually, Brendan will face an evil deity known as Crom Cruach, which killed Aisling's family and possesses a special "Eye" that is necessary for the Book of Kell's completion.  The Vikings, on an expansion mission, get closer to Kells.

THE SECRET OF KELLS' two dimensional animation is highly influenced, its inspiration in part coming from Celtic art, 19th century Austrian symbolist paintings, and Disney films.  It is bursting with color, often achieving the look of moving stained glass.  Beautiful.  The story begins on a light note, gradually becoming more serious.  Fabrice Ziolkowski's screenplay is a fanciful stew of mythology and religious tomes.  It is also powerfully emotional in ways that are obvious, but in many others that are not.  A song sung by Aisling reminded me of a sequence in WATERSHIP DOWN, and likewise reduced me to tears.

The film would've benefitted from more scenes, longer scenes, but it never feels abridged or paraphrased.  There is plenty of action, yet has a calmness about it.   A truly magical experience.