Get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure with Michael Morpurgo’s beloved children’s book, brought to life in stunning detail by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry in their joint feature debut. With seasoned screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce on board, the animation is a beautiful mix of traditional hand-drawn 2D with mixed-media elements for the background. While older kids will undoubtedly love it, the stark portrayal of the bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 may make it unsuitable for the whole family.
The story begins with 11-year-old Michael (played by Aaron MacGregor) setting off on a world cruise with his parents (Cillian Murphy and Sally Hawkins) and sister (Raffey Cassidy). Despite being a normal family with typical sibling squabbles, Michael’s parents take their responsibilities seriously and work together as a unit. However, Michael pushes his luck when he smuggles their dog Stella onto the craft, leading to a storm in the Indian Ocean that sweeps both boy and dog away into the surf. They wake up on a desert-island paradise, but soon realize they are not alone.
The other human on the island is Kensuke (Ken Watanabe), an elderly Japanese man who speaks no English but communicates through his exquisite watercolor paintings. Kensuke came to the island after his ship was bombed by the Americans, losing his family and entire home city in the final days of the Second World War. Despite the language barrier, an unlikely friendship forms between Michael and Kensuke, who has a keen sense of karmic balance and an equally strong environmental conscience.
But don’t be fooled, Kensuke’s Kingdom is more than just a gentle tale of human bonding. The standout moment is a tense action sequence that finds illegal poachers landing on the island and capturing the exotic birds that live there. Kensuke instinctively rounds up the local community of orangutans, but their baby falls behind. In scenes that more than match live-action for suspense, Michael tries to protect mother and child; the amount of emotion conveyed in Michael’s eyes alone is just extraordinary, and Stuart Hancock’s rousing old-school score does some impressive heavy lifting in this largely silent segment.
When help finally arrives, Kensuke’s Kingdom doesn’t waste much time on tearful reunions, and the sudden fade to black simply seems to seal the story in amber. The eco-emphasis may be fashionable, but its handling is respectful and organic to the material, adding to the timeless quality of the animation. Get ready to be swept away on a journey that will leave you breathless and inspired.
Title: Kensuke’s Kingdom
Festival: Annecy (Competition)
Director: Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry
Screenwriter: Frank Cottrell Boyce, from the book by Michael Morpurgo
Running time: 1 hr 24 min
Sales agent: Bankside
