Early buzz for Laika's Wildwood hails stunning animation and epic fantasy
The first reactions to Laika's upcoming stop-motion film 'Wildwood' are pouring in, and they are overwhelmingly positive. According to JoBlo, early viewers are calling it the studio's most spectacular film to date, with animation described as mind-blowing.
TheWrap's review doubles down on the praise, declaring the Travis Knight-directed fantasy epic "one of the most astonishing animated movies ever made." The outlet highlights the film's immense ambition and intricate, hand-crafted stop-motion process, calling the sheer scale of the production hard to fathom.
Based on a novel by The Decemberists' Colin Meloy, the story follows a Portland teenager, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, whose baby brother is kidnapped by crows. She and a local boy named Curtis, played by Jacob Tremblay, venture into a magical wilderness to rescue him, encountering talking coyotes and a villainous ruler voiced by Carey Mulligan.
The review notes the story blends familiar fantasy elements from authors like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien but asserts they are assembled with clear intention and love. It concludes that the film's emotional narrative and the visible passion in its meticulous creation make for a rapturous experience.
