Athens International Film + Video Festival review: ‘Song of the Sea’, the Oscar-nominated film from Ireland, is a touchingly familiar animated film that makes up the lack of originality in its story with whimsy and an appreciation for folklore.
Splendidly animated and joyfully rich in lore and whimsy, Tomm Moore’s Song of the Sea—his Oscar-nominated follow-up to his also Oscar-nominated directorial debut The Secret of Kells—is a beautiful tribute to childhood and fantasy. It’s packed with a nice blend of character and charm to make a moving, if familiar, picture which speaks to the hearts of children, grown and young, everywhere.
A brother/sister tale based on the ancient Celtic myth of the selkie, this animated film tells the story of Ben (voiced by David Rawle). He’s a recently motherless Irish boy who, like his grieving father (voiced by Brendan Gleeson), must care for Saoirse, Ben’s sister, a mute, bright-eyed little girl who comes in the position of magical shell flute. Through the instrument, she both communicates with the spiritual world and discovers a magical secret from her mother’s past. After the children are sent to live with their grandmother (voiced by Fionnula Flanagan) in the city away from their original lighthouse quarters, the siblings go on a spellbinding adventure through an unexplored world.
Song of the Sea, the first film Moore directed by himself, has odes to fairytales of old, but at the same time trends too often on familiar grounds. Throughout, comparisons to earlier films like Spirited Away, The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid and Ponyo, just to name a few, are evident and sadly take away from the charm of the original character designs and well-realized backdrops. It’s evident Moore seemed more invested in how the characters should look and feel, and the details of his overarching story’s history opposed to the actual, simple tale at hand, which damages some of the power of his final feature.
While it makes for a richly envisioned film, it doesn’t quite stay with you as much as you’d wish. Moore clearly has his heart on his sleeve, much like his last film. It’s also clear he’s learned more about pacing and story structure in-between features and, as such, is more accomplished a filmmaker than he already was before. These all add to the heartwarming conclusion that it is hard not to be swept away by. But as the credits roll and the film’s concluded, you feel as though you’ve seen snippets of a great film hidden in a merely good one.
What’s truly betaking about Song of the Sea, however, is its animation. Much like The Secret of Kells, there’s a rich, fairy tale texture to the film. It feels as though Moore’s movie was a long-lost water colored children’s book unearthed and resorted to bewitching results. There’s rarely, if ever, a moment the feature doesn’t sing visually, and a beauty to behold.
Additionally, the character designs are well realized and often quite funny, especially for the wackier supporting characters that become vital as Song of the Sea progresses its plot. These traits give Moore’s movie levity almost lost in his first 2009 film, and helps to make his sophomore feature have a more agreeable pace. That said, however, the filmmaker still finds himself lingering when it comes to plot. Although he has a great appreciation for his characters, his quieter approach can contradict with the briskly style to his animation.
Never short than charming, though, Song of the Sea is a celebration of storytelling of old, with sparks of creativity found often and a sense of innocence that comes genuinely and to fulfilling results. It also proves Moore is a director to watch for, as he continues to develop his craft and demonstrate himself in fascinating and heartwarming ways.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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