The Secret of Kells

On a recent trip to Ireland, I visited a gallery in the famous Trinity College in Dublin that houses a collection of spectacular manuscripts created in Ireland and North Britain during the seventh and tenth centuries called “The Book of Kells.” Inside the gallery, the book is displayed as a four-part volume, with copies of important pages exhibited behind glass decor. Little did I know that there exists an animated movie, “The Secret of Kells” (2009), created and directed by an emerging director, Tomm Moore, with the joint collaboration of the French, Belgium, and Irish film industries. The film is based on Kell’s mythology, its legendary characters, and the origin of manuscripts in a region around Kells. This is Moore’s debut film, and apart from Moore being a film director, he is also a very talented drawing artist, running his own animation studio, “Cartoon Saloon.” The film is famous for getting a 2010 Oscar nomination in the Best Animation Film category, sprinting ahead of “Ponyo” and other Hollywood animated films in the final nomination list.

At the start of the film, we are introduced to an orphan boy named Brendan, who is the under the care of his uncle, Abbot Cellach. Brendan’s uncle expects him to help other workers in the construction of a mighty wall that will defend their village from an imminent Viking attack. Brendan does not like this idea and spends a majority of his time in the scriptorium of the monastery. One day, a master illuminator, Brother Aida of Iona, visits the monastery, carrying a magical book brimming with wisdom and secret powers. Brother Aida is getting old and asks for Brendan’s help in finishing the book. To finish the book, Brother Aida requires two things: an Oak Ink and a crystal ball. Thereafter, Brendan embarks on a journey deep into a dangerous forest guarded by wolves. In the jungle, Brendan is introduced to a wolf-spirit called Ailing. Meanwhile, Uncle Abbott is unhappy with Brendan’s irresponsible attitude and locks him up. Brendan finds a way to free himself from his Uncle’s clutches to undertake the second leg of his journey, one that will eventually help Brother Aida to complete his book.

Even though the timeline for the creation of the manuscripts for “The Book of Kells” is somewhat agreed on, its original author, origins, and the exact location of the formulation of the scripts are still subjects of intense debate. However, it is generally established that the book was developed in regions of Ireland and Britain--mainly in the region of Kells in Ireland and Iona in Scotland. Moore’s animated film draws its inspiration from this theme and the fabled world around the Kells region. The book itself comprises symbols and portraits of the evangelists, introducing the gospels; portraits of Christ and of the Virgin and Child; and illustrations of the temptation and arrest of Christ. Furthermore, like the images, the text in the book is lavishly decorated with important words and phrases emphasized through stylized decoration and interlinear drawings.

“The Secret of Kells” might throw off some viewers with its mythological story line. I had to watch the film twice to grasp the story and its characters fully and the reasoning behind the main story arc. Nonetheless, the movie deals with universal themes such as friendship, love, and respect for elders that are surely going to resonate with everyone. Brendan’s journey follows a pattern seen in other animation movies: a mission, a mystical surrounding, a horde of dangerous animals, and a mysterious helper. What’s more, the film succeeds in presenting these elements with its deeply textured characters and story.

The voice-over performances are really well done, too. Uncle Cellach’s heavy, stern voice, Brendan’s soft and innocent tone, and Brother Aida’s calm and enlightening voice provide convincing touch-ups to their characters. The animation style is remarkably different from an American animation style, Moore’s artistic team employing the use of several hand-drawn sketches and paintings, giving it a Celtic-Irish look.  And one can also draw similarities to the popular animation on the Cartoon Network’s “Samurai Jack.” The paintings, along with the supporting sets, create a fairy-tale appearance that points the viewer onward through the journey in the fantasy world. Finally, the bursting and folksy soundtrack combines several instruments used in ancient urban Ireland; it surely complements the imaginative dreamy visuals of Kells.

The script has enough details on the characters that their motives and actions are easy to comprehend. As a leader of his village, Uncle Cellach is truly concerned for his people from an impending Viking’s attack, and his drive to guide his people to finish the wall later becomes a major source for Brendan’s disenchantment. You have three heavily goal-oriented characters in the film: Brendan, with his energy and his daredevil attitude to help Brother Aida; Brother Aida, with his unflinching desire to finish the book in spite of his age; and Uncle Cellach, with his leadership in the face of a Viking threat.

“The Secret of Kells” demands attention; it is something that cannot be played in the background. Even with its adventure aspect, there is a lot of interaction between the characters, with each conversation providing substantial information about the “The Book of Kells” and its history. In addition, the movie’s overall tone is dark and serious, in spite of a few happy moments in the beginning. Brendan’s adventures and the book’s writing sessions occur mainly during the nighttime, always giving an impression of something evil lurking around the corner. In the climax, when we see a brightly lit day, residents of Kells are preparing to defend themselves from the Vikings. The bright and deep colors that is normally indicative of happiness and calm mood, is absent in these sequences.

Video:

The mythical Kell’s world is rendered beautifully in an anamorphic transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The colors are bright, and the drawings come to life in this transfer. There is enough detail present, and I can only wonder how good this movie would have looked in a Blu-ray edition. Overall, I did not notice any technical faults with the transfer.

Audio:

NewVideo has included two audio options for this movie: a regular 5.1 Dolby Digital English track and a 2.0 Dolby digital track. I watched the movie in the 5.1 track, which is very lively, especially in scenes where the background music kicks in. The dialogue is clear and crisp, so there is nothing to complain about. You can also view the movie with English subtitles.

Extras:

Starting off, we get a commentary track with the director, co-director, and art director. The trio provide their insights into Ireland’s ancient history, with specifics about the “The Book of the Kells.” They discuss their inception phase of creating drawings, sketches, and paintings, and how they finally formed part of the film. It’s a very informative track. Up next, we have a number of recording sessions showing actors who shared their voices in the movie. Next, the director, Tomm Moore, presents pre-production sketches and inspirational images. Following this, we get a short segment, “Aisling at the Oscars.” Ending the extras, we get an early concept trailer and a theatrical trailer.

Parting Thoughts:

“The Secret of Kells” is an artistic achievement at all levels: its story, characters, artwork, and music soar with high marks. Moore’s homage to an important period in Irish history is both enlightening and rewarding. More so, the movie is entertaining, although some might find it overly dark at times. Nonetheless, the film overcomes this shortcoming by digging deeper with universal themes of friendship, ambition, and respect. This movie comes highly recommended.