Brendan dreams of writing the greatest book of all time, but he's stifled by his uncle, Abbot Cellach, who wants Brendan to be practical and help build a wall around the village of Kells to help protect them from an impending Viking attack. When Brother Aidan turns up from another village that's already been attacked by the vikings, he captivates Brendan because he was a great writer, and he asks Brendan to help him finish the now legendary Book of Kells. Now, Brendan must defy his uncle's warnings and venture into the forest outside Kells and confront his fears of the "Dark One" to find inspiration to finish the great Book of Kells.The Academy Awards have a tendency to nominate a lot of films that have only been released in limited release and are not very widely seen. Some people see this as a detriment, thinking that the Academy has lost touch because it typically doesn't look at the more widely seen and generally loved movies. In my opinion this is actually a strength, when awards season rolls around I'm looking up those other movies to catch the gems that I missed, knowing that something great is out there that should have been released wide. That's the case with The Secret of Kells. To be honest, and it's kind of sad, I'm not too familiar with animation outside of anime and American anime. Thanks to the Academy Awards, though, I found out about this great animated feature.
Kells is the type of movie that kind of has one foot planted in fantasy and legend, and another foot planted in reality. The Book of Kells is a real historical book created around the 6th to 9th centuries and is considered Ireland's finest national treasure. The origin of the Book of Kells is still widely disputed, so the creation of the book is ripe to made into a film of sorts. In The Secret of Kells, the story revolves around an older monk teaching a child about inspiration and art to create the Book of Kells. In reality, it seems the major theme of this movie deals with one generation teaching another generation about the art of hand drawn animation. In a day and age when computer animation has all but taken over for the older hand drawn animation, it's great to see a film that's more of a call to the old traditions and does it so well. The Secret of Kells is beautifully rendered to the screen, as well as highly original, still looking better than a lot of computer animated features that come out these days which makes it's message that much more potent as well.
I highly recommend this film to anyone that like animated features of any kind. You'll find certain similarities to anime, as well as older animated films like some of the early adaptations of Rudyard Kipling books like Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and the like. Honestly, this might even be my favorite animated film of the year so far, at least it's very close between this and Up. Definitely give it a shot, great animated feature!
5/5
Through the eyes of salmon, deer and wolf
I have seen the north men invading Ireland
destroying all in search of gold
I have seen suffering in the darkness
yet, I have seen beauty thrive in the most fragile of places
I have seen the book,
the book that turned darkness into light..."
These are the opening words to what is a most remarkable film Tomm Moore's The Secret of Kells. The Secret of Kells is no mere animated film...it is an illumination. Appropriately so for it is based upon the creation of what may be arguably called the single most beautiful work of human hands to ever have been created the book of Kells. The book of Kells is a hand-written illuminated copy of the New Testament's four Gospels completed by Celtic monks cica 800 ad and imbued with a strong Celtic sensibility literally woven throughout more tradition Christian iconography. It is widely considered to be the pinnacle of Ireland's national treasures.
The story centres on the monastic community of Kells in Ireland during the age of the Viking raiders. The order has let its scriptorium (the place where the copying and illuminating was done by the monks) become a lesser priority as the abbot works the community feverishly to build high walls and a gate around the monastery. The task is ostensibly to keep out invading Vikings (north men as they are called in the movie) but it becomes apparent that the abbot is trying to protect and hide him and the monastery from the world.
Into the midst of this construction comes Brother Aiden, fleeing from the destruction of the abbey at Iona and bringing with him a brilliantly illuminated text he calls aptly called the book of Iona. Aiden befriends the abbot's nephew, the young orphan Brendan (voiced brilliantly by Evan Mc Guire). We're never told much of the back story of the abbot or Brendan but that works fine in this film and allows the imagination to contribute to the success of this compelling story.
Brother Aidan brings the book of Iona into the scriptorium of Kells in order to continue working on it and enlists the assistance of Brendan to secure for him some berries from elm trees in the forest. Brendan agrees though he has been forbidden from the forest and, in fact, has never left the abbey. As Brendan and Aidan's cat Panger Bon (another refugee from Iona) wander into the forest they get predictably lost (although this does not diminish the film at all) and meet the apparently young girl Aisling (pronounced Ashlyn and voiced fabulously by Christen Mooney) who is a forest spirit of some sort and who's voice is the one speaking the film's opening words. It is at this point the tale takes off.
The film combines a powerful and provocative story with deep themes of light overcoming darkness, courage, friendship and struggle. There are clear Celtic pagan undercurrents to the film but in no way does one feel as though this story is an attempt to reassert a pagan paradigm over and above the Christian one which has developed in Ireland for more than a millennium. Rather there is a sense that the story is telling us a little about the subtle ways Celtic culture wound its way into Christianity. Some have been critical of the ancient church's attempts to co-opt pagan culture but with Ireland it seems a little more like the Celtic in some way inspired a deeper and more thoughtful Christian spirituality than can be found elsewhere. To this day more than a thousand years after its construction the monastery at Iona continues to offer Christian's a place for deep spiritual contemplation and renewal. I am not suggesting the film presents a kind of syncretism whereby Christianity and Celtic paganism combined to create something new. Rather in the spirit of C.S. Lewis who spoke of "shards of God's truth" being found throughout creation we see a beautiful and nuanced Celtic informing of Christianity that would help it see its faith in some brilliant and remarkable ways (the symbol of the infinite God in the unending Celtic knotwork; the Trinity as seen in the shamrock and the trefoil interweaving Celtic designs etc). Most striking one cannot avoid the comment spoken as voiceover in the beginning of the film by Aislyn when she says "I have seen the book, the book that turned darkness into light..." There is also another message that comes out hinting that the book (whether the book of Kells specifically or the more broadly Bible we're not sure...perhaps both) "was never meant to be hidden away behind a wall, locked away from the world which inspired its creation...you must take the book to the people so that they may have hope, let it light the way in these dark days..."
Your ears will be treated to some absolutely amazing Celtic music (Aisling's song is sung with a beautiful innocence) as well as Medieval Latin hymning and of course, most importantly, incredible visuals. The film is animated in what is becoming known as "the old style" of 2D hand drawing and inking (although there are times when you can see CG was used). Done by Cartoon Saloon based out of Kilkenny, Ireland the style of animation is stunning and quite frankly required given that the story is really about a hand illuminated work of art. The Secret of Kells is refreshing in an age where most animated films are moving toward CG and 3D (except for some notable brilliant anime films from Hayao Mitazaki's Studio Ghibli and other exceptions like Disney's recent The Princess and the Frog).
As much as the story is riveting it is the animation that is really the main character and keeps one riveted to the screen. Clearly heavily influenced by the book itself there is also heavy Celtic influence apparent as well as Norse. The animation style and colour changes as the mood of the film changes and in many instances it is almost as though you are peering into an illuminated work of art rather than watching a movie. There is an amazing scene in which Brendan, Brother Aidan and Panger Bon are fleeing and the animators chose to present them as though they were moving through a triptych (three paneled picture). This technique also allows for a very creative showing of the passage of time. At other times the action is framed as though moving on the pages of a book. The animators fill the edges of the frame with smaller moving images reminiscent of illuminator's work both rough and finished in nature and while some might consider this a distraction it works very well with the overall feel of the movie.
Overall the film is one of the greatest animated features I have ever watched and, as much as I appreciated (loved really) the movie Up from Pixar, The Secret of Kells should have won the academy award for best animated feature film. You will want to watch this film over and over again on your own, with friends or with family because it is simply spellbinding.
Buy The Secret of Kells (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010) Now
The Book of Kells is Ireland's greatest treasure: an ancient book filled with exquisite illuminations.Technically, "The Secret of Kells" is about the making of that book. But it's far more than that -it's a visual hymn to Ireland's history, a coming-of-age tale, and a parable about Christianity coming to Ireland. Modern animation is suffused with exquisite Celtic art, music and a sense of fairy magic, and wrapped around a seemingly simple story about a boy learning about the power of art.
Abbot Cellach is determined to save the Abbey of Kells from the Viking invaders, so he's having the monks (including his nephew Brendan) build a vast wall around the abbey. But when the illuminator Brother Aiden arrives, he brings with him the legendary Book of Iona. Brendan is fascinated by the Book, and ventures out into the forest -against the abbot's orders -to fetch ink-making supplies for Aiden.
He befriends a strange fairy girl named Aisling, and nature's beauty inspires his art -until his uncle discovers that he's sneaking out, and forbids him to have anything to do with the forest or Aiden. But Brendan still wants to become a true master of illumination. And to finish the Book, he must go outside the abbey once more, and snatch away the magical Eye of an ancient sleeping evil...
You can see this movie from many angles -it's a coming-of-age story, a homage to Irish culture, a story about the importance of art, and a parable about Christianity supplanting Celtic paganism (whilst drawing on its beauty). But however you see it, "The Secret of Kells" is a beautiful story with a calm simplicity, and a slightly quirky sense of humor.
It also tackles some darker, more mature themes -Brendan is exiled to a dungeon for disobeying his uncle, and he ventures into the cave of an ancient god surrounded by wriggling black roots. But directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey drop in lots of beautiful little moments as well, such as Aisling magically "singing" Aiden's cat into a floating spirit.
It also has a truly unique style of animation: "Kim Possible" style (simple designs with lots of sharp and/or rounded edges) with vibrant jewel-toned backdrops (the sunlit emerald hues of the forests). The best parts are when Celtic symbols and art are woven in, especially since they tend to float through the air like butterflies.
The writers also give great care to sketching out characters -Brendan, the little monk who discovers the "miracles" of the world; Aisling, the elusive wolf-girl who assists him; and the grandfatherly Brother Aiden. On the flip-side we have Abbot Cellach, whose obsession with keeping Kells safe causes him to shut out art and beauty. No, he's not a 2-D bad guy -he's just desperate.
Obviously it's not on the level of the Book of Kells, but "The Secret of Kells" is still a beautiful work of cinematic art. Adults will love it, kids will love it, and anyone with the blood of Ireland will marvel.
Read Best Reviews of The Secret of Kells (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010) Here
"I have seen beauty in the most fragile of places.I have seen the book...
I have seen the book that turns darkness to light."
A film so beautiful, only a Blu-ran can do it real justice!
Nominated for a 2010 Best Animated Feature, Secret of Kells is a movie that almost nobody has heard of because of a limited US release. But it is by far and away the best film in its category. A compelling mix of both Christian history and Celtic mythology, the story tells a fairy tale of Brendan and his quest to preserve and finish the most important book in history.
Beautifully animated, with rich colors and emphasis on simple geometrics, the film is shows why movies are a *visual* medium. Utilizing a "flat" 2D style, with richly decorated backgrounds, and a varied character design, this motion picture is a true work of art.
Once again, Blu-ray is the medium this film is meant for. Even DVD would fall short, due to its reduced color reproduction and resolution when compared to Blu-ray.
Please, please grace the US a Blu-ray release!
Want The Secret of Kells (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010) Discount?
Wonderful! Since others have already given a plot synopsis, I'll just add my delight at the combo of irreverent humor, shamanistic realism, gorgeous use of trad Celtic art forms, deep relationship with nature, the magic of writing, and small historical details that glitter like facets in this gem. For example, when the white cat appeared I hoped that his name would be Pangur Ban and it was! What glee! (Yes, I am indeed a nerd.) Here's one version of the poem the name comes from, written by and about a monk circa 8th century BCE (from memory, so it may not be perfect):"I and white Pangur Ban my cat
Each his special art works at.
Chasing mice is his delight;
Chasing words I do all night."
This film is a delight that is sure to introduce many new folks to the luscious historical art form of Celtic knotwork, as well as to deep Irish history. Highly recommended. I just saw it, and want to again already, pausing to gape at the spiral variations. 'Nuff said.
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