Plunder what you will, it's well worth the effort and a very rewarding one at that. Your interpretations will vary depending on your own experiences but you will recognise many elements, mostly metaphorical in their nature, that you can reflect upon and align with your own sands of time. Enchantingly ascribed to the medium of film, it also teaches us that simplicity and less complex presentations can often remove distortions that more technical offerings inadvertently introduce. We are still only Hunter Gatherers at the end of the day, and at the start of all those subsequent days that follow.
150 Reviews
Man always needs a purpose.
Reno-Rangan24 December 2016
Since the Hollywood upgraded to the 3D animation, the rest of the world took over and given some incredible films in the last one and half decades. The Japanese animes are undoubtedly the best, but the European animation, particularly the 2D animation started to boom in the recent times with special mention goes to Tomm Moore. So basically I might miss some Hollywood animations, right now, but I'm very watchful over this kind of films. That's how I watched it, but anyway I would have seen it.
This is the director's first feature animation film, but he was known for his awesome short animations which one of them won him an Oscar. It was jointly produced by three countries, including Japan's Studio Ghibli. It's their first non-Japanese production and a great beginning and timing to expand the production in other continents. Especially after their legend, Hayao Miyazaki retired from the filmmaking.
The film was short like the 80 minute stretch without a single word spoken in its entire narration. There's no even sign language used, everything's actions and reactions. So you would find empty in the film's cast section which is kind of weird. I mean there are characters in the film, but all were imaginations without names and what year it takes place, where with so many questions like that. Basically to say, a film without the cast, but the crew members managed to give the best to the viewers to get it without any struggle.
One thing is for sure, that the film is very enjoyable. It is a fantasy film, so whatever you see, you have to accept it. Because that's how things happen in a theme like this, all fictional. Though, the first thing you have to keep in your mind is not the entire film was an hallucination event. There are some dreamy events and that's fine since the film character is coping with loneliness.
A man who had lost at sea, wakes up in a small island. It's a life supporting land mass with fresh water and fruits, but he also has to put some effort for fishing. His notion is to leave the island as soon as possible to go back to where he had come from, the civilised world. In his every attempt to sail with a raft he had made using bamboos, fails to cross after a certain stretch of the island coast. He later comes to know what stopped him and with an anger reaction he commits a mistake. So now he has to come out of the guilt and to do that he chooses what seems the right.
It was like a simple story without any meaning about everything that's shown in it. So in my entire watch I thought the same and said it was an okay film with great animation. But the ending changed my stance. That twist, I don't think everybody would understand. But one thing I want to make sure if you yet to see it, that it was about the purpose. The man always looks for a reason to do things and even to live or die. That's where the red turtle comes in.
Although my biggest question is, is this film a follow-up or in any way connected to the director's previous short animation 'Father and Daughter'? Because it seems the man who got lost in the sea is from that short film. But it never revealed the reason why he was stopped by whomever from return home. Also, both the conclusions syncs. It's just a my theory, so only the director can explain that.
I'm very sure this film is in the Oscars race. If it fails to make, then its not my prediction was wrong, but the Academy Awards people got it all wrong. I'm also sure it won't win as 3D animation dominated world, particularly 'Zootopia' 'Finding Dory' and 'Moana' are taking the first three frontrunner spots. Except the technical differences, only the grown ups can say this one has a better and meaningful story. It is very similar to 'Ponyo', but a grown-up's version. Anyway, it is a must see film, especially the adults and in particular those who always think animation is for children. If they see it, they might change their mind. Highly recommended!
8/10
This is the director's first feature animation film, but he was known for his awesome short animations which one of them won him an Oscar. It was jointly produced by three countries, including Japan's Studio Ghibli. It's their first non-Japanese production and a great beginning and timing to expand the production in other continents. Especially after their legend, Hayao Miyazaki retired from the filmmaking.
The film was short like the 80 minute stretch without a single word spoken in its entire narration. There's no even sign language used, everything's actions and reactions. So you would find empty in the film's cast section which is kind of weird. I mean there are characters in the film, but all were imaginations without names and what year it takes place, where with so many questions like that. Basically to say, a film without the cast, but the crew members managed to give the best to the viewers to get it without any struggle.
One thing is for sure, that the film is very enjoyable. It is a fantasy film, so whatever you see, you have to accept it. Because that's how things happen in a theme like this, all fictional. Though, the first thing you have to keep in your mind is not the entire film was an hallucination event. There are some dreamy events and that's fine since the film character is coping with loneliness.
A man who had lost at sea, wakes up in a small island. It's a life supporting land mass with fresh water and fruits, but he also has to put some effort for fishing. His notion is to leave the island as soon as possible to go back to where he had come from, the civilised world. In his every attempt to sail with a raft he had made using bamboos, fails to cross after a certain stretch of the island coast. He later comes to know what stopped him and with an anger reaction he commits a mistake. So now he has to come out of the guilt and to do that he chooses what seems the right.
It was like a simple story without any meaning about everything that's shown in it. So in my entire watch I thought the same and said it was an okay film with great animation. But the ending changed my stance. That twist, I don't think everybody would understand. But one thing I want to make sure if you yet to see it, that it was about the purpose. The man always looks for a reason to do things and even to live or die. That's where the red turtle comes in.
Although my biggest question is, is this film a follow-up or in any way connected to the director's previous short animation 'Father and Daughter'? Because it seems the man who got lost in the sea is from that short film. But it never revealed the reason why he was stopped by whomever from return home. Also, both the conclusions syncs. It's just a my theory, so only the director can explain that.
I'm very sure this film is in the Oscars race. If it fails to make, then its not my prediction was wrong, but the Academy Awards people got it all wrong. I'm also sure it won't win as 3D animation dominated world, particularly 'Zootopia' 'Finding Dory' and 'Moana' are taking the first three frontrunner spots. Except the technical differences, only the grown ups can say this one has a better and meaningful story. It is very similar to 'Ponyo', but a grown-up's version. Anyway, it is a must see film, especially the adults and in particular those who always think animation is for children. If they see it, they might change their mind. Highly recommended!
8/10
A beautifully animated, wonderfully moving and somewhat poignant tale.
Pjtaylor-96-13804427 February 2018
There are times when you really start to question why the characters in 'The Red Turtle (2017)' aren't talking to one another, since they can vocalise (even shouting "hey" on occasion) and end up resorting to clumsy pseudo sign-language. The flick's allegorical nature falls slightly short on a couple of key contradictory points, too. This is a beautifully animated, wonderfully moving and somewhat poignant tale of a man's life and the unexpected turns it takes when he meets the eponymous turtle, though. It's touching, exciting, tense and intriguing stuff that usually shows just how powerful visual storytelling really can be. Even though, on occasion, it drags a little and starts to wade around in its own limitations slightly, it's still a wonderful and friendly picture. 7/10
Quietly Devastating
evanston_dad7 July 2017
"The Red Turtle" is an animated film that left my entire family feeling quietly devastated without even being able to put our fingers on why.
With no dialogue, it traces the trajectory life takes for most people: starting out alone, finding someone to partner with, raising children, watching those children leave, and then saying goodbye yourself to the world. The film explores how things that can at first seem like barriers to happiness and contentment can eventually lead us to the things about life that we cherish most. It's not a film full of big, obvious emotions, but instead works a quiet and subtle spell. My eight year old was extremely attuned to the melancholy sadness of the film and spent a couple of minutes in tears afterwards. It gave us a good opportunity to talk about why the movie made him sad and to make him feel OK about having honest reactions to what are essentially the ups and downs of life.
Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2016 Academy Awards.
Grade: A
With no dialogue, it traces the trajectory life takes for most people: starting out alone, finding someone to partner with, raising children, watching those children leave, and then saying goodbye yourself to the world. The film explores how things that can at first seem like barriers to happiness and contentment can eventually lead us to the things about life that we cherish most. It's not a film full of big, obvious emotions, but instead works a quiet and subtle spell. My eight year old was extremely attuned to the melancholy sadness of the film and spent a couple of minutes in tears afterwards. It gave us a good opportunity to talk about why the movie made him sad and to make him feel OK about having honest reactions to what are essentially the ups and downs of life.
Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2016 Academy Awards.
Grade: A
A beautiful film about a man's relationship with his environment
paul_a_salt18 October 2016
A man awakens adrift in the middle of the ocean. He is able to swim to a nearby remote island which is only inhabited by crabs, birds and a mysterious red turtle. This is the premise to the Michaël Dudok de Wit's first feature length film, a collaboration between French production studio The Wild Bunch and Japanese animation powerhouse Studio Ghibli. The result of this collaboration is a visually stunning and emotionally complex film.
De Wit explained after the screening that he loved the desert island stories he heard as a child but wanted to tell a different story than Robinson Crusoe. He was less interested in the mechanics of how a man can live on (or escape from) a desert island and more interested in how that man would feel. The practicalities of how the man would survive on this island are dealt with early on and in little detail. The island has fruit bearing trees and a pool of drinkable water at its centre. A very tense sequence early in the film sees the man fall into a crevice and swim the length of a claustrophobic underwater tunnel to escape. These sequences of peril are few. The majority of the film concerns the real interest of the director; what would keep a man on his island? What would he need to be happy there? De Wit explained his process as being very natural. He arrived at the premise and then wrote the story without a plan. He wanted something to keep the man on the island, something natural. He then settled on a giant turtle saying it just felt right. Not too cute, nor too animalistic. The effect of this writing style is that the film has a very dream like quality.
The animation is stunning. The island is rendered in lush colours. The realistic approach to character movements and environments makes the fantastical elements all the more spellbinding.
The director also mentioned symbolism in his discussion, hoping that it was clear. I must admit that if the film is a direct allegory then it's a little elusive. Perhaps it's a story about surrendering the instinct to escape one's circumstances and learning to embrace them. Or perhaps it's about not yearning to return to home but to make one for oneself. The man initially dreams of bridges leaving the island and string quartets appearing on the beach. As the man explores the wonders of the island he stops dreaming, discovering that the island has its own fantasies to offer. The deceptively simple story demands some thought but more significantly insists on being felt.
Other interesting details from the discussion with the director included the sudden contact from Studio Ghibli. Someone from the studio contacted him having seen some of his animated shorts. He was offered the chance to make whatever film he wanted. This, surely, is the impossible dream of all animators. He described the experience of working with the animation giant as incredibly rewarding, with their input and guidance allowing him to make a better film.
It is interesting to see the Ghibli elements within the film. Most noticeably, I think, the studio has influenced the wildlife seen on screen. Aside from the eponymous reptile, the man is joined on his island by a group of crabs. These crabs are drawn realistically but act anthropomorphically, functioning as comic relief. It's difficult not to recall the Soot Sprites from Spirited Away. However despite the whimsy of these crabs, they are still depicted as part of nature. They drag live fish away to be consumed and are themselves eaten by birds. The juxtaposition of the charms of nature with its horrors recalls the woodland scenes from The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
This is a very unique film. It has far less in common with stories like Castaway than its premise may suggest. Instead this is a fantastical exploration of what makes a person content with their surroundings. Fans of Michaël Dudok de Wit will appreciate the flawless transition he has made to feature film and fans of Studio Ghibli will find plenty of the magic and wonder they may be missing since When Marnie Was There.
De Wit explained after the screening that he loved the desert island stories he heard as a child but wanted to tell a different story than Robinson Crusoe. He was less interested in the mechanics of how a man can live on (or escape from) a desert island and more interested in how that man would feel. The practicalities of how the man would survive on this island are dealt with early on and in little detail. The island has fruit bearing trees and a pool of drinkable water at its centre. A very tense sequence early in the film sees the man fall into a crevice and swim the length of a claustrophobic underwater tunnel to escape. These sequences of peril are few. The majority of the film concerns the real interest of the director; what would keep a man on his island? What would he need to be happy there? De Wit explained his process as being very natural. He arrived at the premise and then wrote the story without a plan. He wanted something to keep the man on the island, something natural. He then settled on a giant turtle saying it just felt right. Not too cute, nor too animalistic. The effect of this writing style is that the film has a very dream like quality.
The animation is stunning. The island is rendered in lush colours. The realistic approach to character movements and environments makes the fantastical elements all the more spellbinding.
The director also mentioned symbolism in his discussion, hoping that it was clear. I must admit that if the film is a direct allegory then it's a little elusive. Perhaps it's a story about surrendering the instinct to escape one's circumstances and learning to embrace them. Or perhaps it's about not yearning to return to home but to make one for oneself. The man initially dreams of bridges leaving the island and string quartets appearing on the beach. As the man explores the wonders of the island he stops dreaming, discovering that the island has its own fantasies to offer. The deceptively simple story demands some thought but more significantly insists on being felt.
Other interesting details from the discussion with the director included the sudden contact from Studio Ghibli. Someone from the studio contacted him having seen some of his animated shorts. He was offered the chance to make whatever film he wanted. This, surely, is the impossible dream of all animators. He described the experience of working with the animation giant as incredibly rewarding, with their input and guidance allowing him to make a better film.
It is interesting to see the Ghibli elements within the film. Most noticeably, I think, the studio has influenced the wildlife seen on screen. Aside from the eponymous reptile, the man is joined on his island by a group of crabs. These crabs are drawn realistically but act anthropomorphically, functioning as comic relief. It's difficult not to recall the Soot Sprites from Spirited Away. However despite the whimsy of these crabs, they are still depicted as part of nature. They drag live fish away to be consumed and are themselves eaten by birds. The juxtaposition of the charms of nature with its horrors recalls the woodland scenes from The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
This is a very unique film. It has far less in common with stories like Castaway than its premise may suggest. Instead this is a fantastical exploration of what makes a person content with their surroundings. Fans of Michaël Dudok de Wit will appreciate the flawless transition he has made to feature film and fans of Studio Ghibli will find plenty of the magic and wonder they may be missing since When Marnie Was There.
A masterclass in animation storytelling
Red_Identity19 December 2016
I'm a big fan of survival films. In particular, J.C. Chandor's All Is Lost is my favorite film of the decade so far and it's with high praise that I say that The Red Turtle reminded me so much of it. The animation is simple, but it's perfect for this type of story. It's an amazingly written film. It understands the power of visual storytelling and it never loses our gaze. The music score is also perfectly integrated, composed and mixed with a real care for the quieter moments and it never overdoes anything (something that many dialogue-less films do). Animation or no animation, you become deeply invested in these characters. I can't recommend this film enough. I highly recommend it.
A Beautiful Lack of Substance
billy-h-668-7532325 March 2017
'La Tortue Rouge' aka 'The Red Turtle' is a rare film to find in this day and age of animated films. I say this not just because of its limited worldwide screenings, or due to it being a post Hayao Miyazaki Studio Ghibli film but because this is a feature length dialogue-less film.
Instead of relying on dialogue, 'The Red Turtle' uses the talented animators of Studio Ghibli to visually storytell this film. This is what keeps 'The Red Turtle' a float.
Positives:
Negatives:
In summary although gorgeously animated, what lets 'The Red Turtle' down is its story. Disappointing to say but at the end of the day no matter what film, STORY IS ALWAYS KEY. I personally believe this major issue would not exist if the runtime was cut to 30-40 minutes instead of the 80 minute runtime. That being said it is still an okay film for sure.
I give 'The Red Turtle' a 6/10 (slightly above average). I only recommend watching this film if you love to watch visually stunning animated films or just want to watch Studio Ghibli's latest art.
Instead of relying on dialogue, 'The Red Turtle' uses the talented animators of Studio Ghibli to visually storytell this film. This is what keeps 'The Red Turtle' a float.
Positives:
- Gorgeous stunning hand crafted animation
- Great visual storytelling
- Fun side characters (crabs)
- Thought Provoking
Negatives:
- Lacklustre plot
- Long runtime
- Forgettable film
In summary although gorgeously animated, what lets 'The Red Turtle' down is its story. Disappointing to say but at the end of the day no matter what film, STORY IS ALWAYS KEY. I personally believe this major issue would not exist if the runtime was cut to 30-40 minutes instead of the 80 minute runtime. That being said it is still an okay film for sure.
I give 'The Red Turtle' a 6/10 (slightly above average). I only recommend watching this film if you love to watch visually stunning animated films or just want to watch Studio Ghibli's latest art.
This cycle of life is a thing of beauty
TheLittleSongbird8 October 2017
Had heard nothing but good things about 'The Red Turtle', including that it was nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar (up against very stiff competition with the likes of 'Zootropolis', 'Kubo' and 'Moana'). Also am an animation fan and saw that it had a Studio Ghibli co-credit, so high expectations were raised even higher.
Finally seeing 'The Red Turtle', there is not much else to add to what has already been said. While it is an unconventional film and will perplex some, 'The Red Turtle' is a beautiful film, in visuals, storytelling and emotions. It perhaps runs for a little too long in length, particularly when the story structure is somewhat more suited to a short film. Otherwise, 'The Red Turtle' is deserving of its praise and its Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination was a worthy one even when up against such stiff competition where all the nominees were very good to outstanding in their own way.
'The Red Turtle' is very beautifully animated. It's simple rather than elaborate or flashy, but this simplicity is done very elegantly and still boasts some exquisitely imaginative moments. The backgrounds are meticulous in detail and the colours are ethereal and bold. All the characters are drawn with taste too. The music score not only adds a lot to the storytelling and emotions, it even gives them a greater impact. There is a haunting atmosphere, whimsical energy and understated lushness to the music here, and the clever sound effects work well too.
A wordless, dialogue-free film (apart from the odd sound effect) 'The Red Turtle' may be, but that's not a strike against it. There are many instances of things resonating volumes without the use of words, this is true of 'The Red Turtle' with its wide and varying range of emotions conveyed poignantly and with a sense of wonder. No matter how slight the story structure, the atmosphere is so rich and the visuals such a feast for the eyes that to me the film never became dull. Loved the timeless fable/folk tale feel to the story as well.
From personal opinion, 'The Red Turtle' was one of the most emotional films of 2016, making me resonate with the profound subject matter and care for the charming characters. There is a little nail-biting drama, some fairly symbolic romance and the cycle of life story is profoundly engaging. The ending is very affecting, though will (and has done) perplex some, and the characters charm.
Overall, a thing of beauty. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Finally seeing 'The Red Turtle', there is not much else to add to what has already been said. While it is an unconventional film and will perplex some, 'The Red Turtle' is a beautiful film, in visuals, storytelling and emotions. It perhaps runs for a little too long in length, particularly when the story structure is somewhat more suited to a short film. Otherwise, 'The Red Turtle' is deserving of its praise and its Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination was a worthy one even when up against such stiff competition where all the nominees were very good to outstanding in their own way.
'The Red Turtle' is very beautifully animated. It's simple rather than elaborate or flashy, but this simplicity is done very elegantly and still boasts some exquisitely imaginative moments. The backgrounds are meticulous in detail and the colours are ethereal and bold. All the characters are drawn with taste too. The music score not only adds a lot to the storytelling and emotions, it even gives them a greater impact. There is a haunting atmosphere, whimsical energy and understated lushness to the music here, and the clever sound effects work well too.
A wordless, dialogue-free film (apart from the odd sound effect) 'The Red Turtle' may be, but that's not a strike against it. There are many instances of things resonating volumes without the use of words, this is true of 'The Red Turtle' with its wide and varying range of emotions conveyed poignantly and with a sense of wonder. No matter how slight the story structure, the atmosphere is so rich and the visuals such a feast for the eyes that to me the film never became dull. Loved the timeless fable/folk tale feel to the story as well.
From personal opinion, 'The Red Turtle' was one of the most emotional films of 2016, making me resonate with the profound subject matter and care for the charming characters. There is a little nail-biting drama, some fairly symbolic romance and the cycle of life story is profoundly engaging. The ending is very affecting, though will (and has done) perplex some, and the characters charm.
Overall, a thing of beauty. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Amazing Silent Animation
Saif_Hindawy25 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This film really captures the idea of human interaction with the environment through it's plot and metaphors. There is no dialogue in the movie and we are forced to understand what is happening only through the visual medium. This makes the visual much more powerful but also gives room for the music to engross us completely.
The man's struggle against nature is very literal in the beginning. He fights against the elements, trying to satisfy his hunger and thirst. While exploring the island he falls into a hole near a cliff where he gets stuck. He is forced to dive deep into a crevice between the rocks to escape outside to the sea. This is a clear metaphor for the struggles we face against nature. While we seek to explore and understand our world we are forced into tough spots that we then must overcome, a very relevant idea with climate change looming over us. This idea is further highlighted with the man trying to escape from the island using a raft that he built. The raft keeps getting destroyed, later we learn, by a giant red turtle. This sea turtle symbolizes nature, but also in a more idealistic sense it relates to wisdom, beauty and power. The man who is short term minded regards the actions of the turtle with hate. He destroys the turtle and causes it's death in a gruesome scene. Then a metamorphosis occurs where the man finds a beautiful lady within the turtle shell. As he falls in love with the lady and accepts his fate and comes to think of the island as a home, he comes to regret his previous actions. The meaning behind this particular sequence of surreal events can probably be interpreted in many ways. However, I come to believe that it's a message about environmentalism and how we don't regard beauty until it's too late.
When his child later grows up, he falls into the same hole as the father. His mother then guides him to his escape showing the role of parenting and society in the progress of our relationship with nature. The boy later grows up and sets to escape the island with a raft, aided by turtles. This kind of cyclical end shows how we progress but how we also are repeating the lives of our parents in some way as well.
The movie's animation is beautiful and very simple. The shadows are used more than once to bring out emotions of different kinds. The color palette is mostly dull and subdued which makes the vivid red of the turtle come out in a strong contrast. The surreal aspects of the dreams utilize the medium in a way that shows how animation can triumph live action in terms of it's simple yet effective delivery. There is comic relief in terms of little crabs that help break the tension and the overall somber note of the movie. Overall, the movie is strong, with significant themes and an emotional delivery, yet it is lacking of a more clear message. Although, I usually do appreciate metaphorical and symbolic movies that are more abstract in nature and leave the interpretation to the audience, the whole thing feels forced rather than a subtle layer.
The man's struggle against nature is very literal in the beginning. He fights against the elements, trying to satisfy his hunger and thirst. While exploring the island he falls into a hole near a cliff where he gets stuck. He is forced to dive deep into a crevice between the rocks to escape outside to the sea. This is a clear metaphor for the struggles we face against nature. While we seek to explore and understand our world we are forced into tough spots that we then must overcome, a very relevant idea with climate change looming over us. This idea is further highlighted with the man trying to escape from the island using a raft that he built. The raft keeps getting destroyed, later we learn, by a giant red turtle. This sea turtle symbolizes nature, but also in a more idealistic sense it relates to wisdom, beauty and power. The man who is short term minded regards the actions of the turtle with hate. He destroys the turtle and causes it's death in a gruesome scene. Then a metamorphosis occurs where the man finds a beautiful lady within the turtle shell. As he falls in love with the lady and accepts his fate and comes to think of the island as a home, he comes to regret his previous actions. The meaning behind this particular sequence of surreal events can probably be interpreted in many ways. However, I come to believe that it's a message about environmentalism and how we don't regard beauty until it's too late.
When his child later grows up, he falls into the same hole as the father. His mother then guides him to his escape showing the role of parenting and society in the progress of our relationship with nature. The boy later grows up and sets to escape the island with a raft, aided by turtles. This kind of cyclical end shows how we progress but how we also are repeating the lives of our parents in some way as well.
The movie's animation is beautiful and very simple. The shadows are used more than once to bring out emotions of different kinds. The color palette is mostly dull and subdued which makes the vivid red of the turtle come out in a strong contrast. The surreal aspects of the dreams utilize the medium in a way that shows how animation can triumph live action in terms of it's simple yet effective delivery. There is comic relief in terms of little crabs that help break the tension and the overall somber note of the movie. Overall, the movie is strong, with significant themes and an emotional delivery, yet it is lacking of a more clear message. Although, I usually do appreciate metaphorical and symbolic movies that are more abstract in nature and leave the interpretation to the audience, the whole thing feels forced rather than a subtle layer.
As close to pure cinema as they come
ayoreinf15 July 2016
As far as I know this is the first time the illustrious Studio Ghibli has cooperated with a director outside Japan. Still they gave it their trade mark detailed approach to the depiction of nature, and since the whole story is about nature, and about human beings as a part of nature - it counts. What we get is a fable/fairy tale, about a survivor-castaway getting to a deserted island with no human or other land in sight. And the surprising story of his life following that event. I don't do spoilers, and almost anything I could add would be a spoiler. So I'll limit myself to one more remark - the absence of dialogue works for this movie and in a way make this fantastic story more real. Words seem unnecessary as the story develops.
Though it's animation, it's not exactly made for children, but it could work very well for children viewing it. The auditorium in the Jerusalem Film Festival was packed with children and I didn't hear a single complaint.
Though it's animation, it's not exactly made for children, but it could work very well for children viewing it. The auditorium in the Jerusalem Film Festival was packed with children and I didn't hear a single complaint.
Visually stunning and imaginative
njboden31 December 2022
This animation is visually stunning and imaginative with a relaxing soundtrack. Its slow pace and the near absence of sound effects is relaxing but the flip side is that it's somewhat soporific. This audiovisual lullaby seems longer than its running time of 1 hour 20 minutes. There was almost no dialogue, other than one word, "Hey", and minimal sound effects, such as waves lapping against the shore and birds tweeting.
I enjoyed the original plot, though it didn't logically hold together, for example the man not only didn't build a shelter or vessels to catch water but we only see him spearing one fish, he never eats the crabs or any of the turtles he encounters despite knowing how to start fires to cook them (though of course if he ate the giant turtle then the film would have to be a very different one to what we are shown).
I enjoyed the original plot, though it didn't logically hold together, for example the man not only didn't build a shelter or vessels to catch water but we only see him spearing one fish, he never eats the crabs or any of the turtles he encounters despite knowing how to start fires to cook them (though of course if he ate the giant turtle then the film would have to be a very different one to what we are shown).
A long short. Simple, beautiful, worthy of the Studio Ghibli stamp.
ConcreteStereo7 July 2016
The movie is visually stunning and conceptually intriguing.
Animator Michael Dudok de Wit has had the improbable chance to make his feature-length debut in partnership with studio Ghibli, and with full artistic autonomy. The result is one hour and a half of purely visual narrative. A bold choice but with no doubt one that works out beautifully. The result is simple, fresh and beautiful, and definitely worthy of the Studio Ghibli stamp.
However, leaving the theater, I had the peculiar impression of having watched the world's longest short. It's an observation that's neither positive nor negative, at least I've been unable to define whether this is an accomplishment or a weakness. That is to say : the film might come off as a bit light, but at the same time, its single-topic approach is elegant and truly enjoyable to watch, and beautifully poetic in its way of finding big stories in the simplest of things.
Anyway, a debut that makes us very curious where Mchaël Dudok de Wit will take us in his future work.
Animator Michael Dudok de Wit has had the improbable chance to make his feature-length debut in partnership with studio Ghibli, and with full artistic autonomy. The result is one hour and a half of purely visual narrative. A bold choice but with no doubt one that works out beautifully. The result is simple, fresh and beautiful, and definitely worthy of the Studio Ghibli stamp.
However, leaving the theater, I had the peculiar impression of having watched the world's longest short. It's an observation that's neither positive nor negative, at least I've been unable to define whether this is an accomplishment or a weakness. That is to say : the film might come off as a bit light, but at the same time, its single-topic approach is elegant and truly enjoyable to watch, and beautifully poetic in its way of finding big stories in the simplest of things.
Anyway, a debut that makes us very curious where Mchaël Dudok de Wit will take us in his future work.
Beautiful Animation.... and That's It
davidcshannon19 November 2017
I don't regret seeing this, but I wouldn't have missed much if I hadn't.
Positive Spin: A long, beautiful moving painting. Presents a fable without imposing meaning or purpose, allowing you to find your own.
Negative Spin: A lot of beautiful pictures that don't communicate much. The characters say essentially nothing the entire movie. They don't express much non-verbally either, besides the most basic of emotions. Although there are scenes, there's essentially no plot. Inexplicable events occur, and are never explained. The movie ends abruptly with no closure.
Positive Spin: A long, beautiful moving painting. Presents a fable without imposing meaning or purpose, allowing you to find your own.
Negative Spin: A lot of beautiful pictures that don't communicate much. The characters say essentially nothing the entire movie. They don't express much non-verbally either, besides the most basic of emotions. Although there are scenes, there's essentially no plot. Inexplicable events occur, and are never explained. The movie ends abruptly with no closure.
Sad, very sad movie
santi-158547 March 2021
Brilliant piece of art and philosophical masterpiece
shamborovsky9 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Before starting watching the movie I strongly recommend to listen or even better to watch Leonard Cohen's video clip "Dance Me to the End of Love". The animated movie as well as Cohen's clip is about life, obstacles, hardness, love, children, death - about the life as is. Sometimes lonely, sometimes happy, sometimes on the edge of death.
The plot is quite simple: the main hero appears on uninhabited island and first tries to survive, then to escape and then just just to live.
It is real philosophical piece of art about which one can write thesis after thesis. A scope of issues reveled for discussions is vast: about the purpose of life, about love, about loneliness, about striving of the youth for changes, desire to live, to die, nature, animals and much much more.
I was extremely touched with the few very nice moments: - First - when the main hero being on the uninhabited island but alive suddenly falls down from the rock inside the deep cave with water from which you can not get out. I physically feel myself uncomfortable from realizing the situation - to survive but appear on the island and immediately after to face danger of being helplessly drowned in the cave - Second - when woman is touching the face of the main hero after years or months of loneliness (heroes do not talk - you can see the time only by means of his beard only). Deeply touching moment - and once again, while sitting in the cinema you almost physically feel the tenderness of this touch. - Third - after the main hero met woman and set a family and they gave a birth to a child and child has grown up and it looked like "life is happy"drastic storm from the sea arrives and almost kills all of them.
And the final and the most beautiful moment, in my opinion: after their son left them and they reached old age (one can guess of it from the gray hairs om his and her) and it is obvious that soon they will die they "dance to the end of love" - again and again deeply touching and moving moment.
Very very beautiful movie - a must see piece of art for those who are fond of thought provoking movies.
The plot is quite simple: the main hero appears on uninhabited island and first tries to survive, then to escape and then just just to live.
It is real philosophical piece of art about which one can write thesis after thesis. A scope of issues reveled for discussions is vast: about the purpose of life, about love, about loneliness, about striving of the youth for changes, desire to live, to die, nature, animals and much much more.
I was extremely touched with the few very nice moments: - First - when the main hero being on the uninhabited island but alive suddenly falls down from the rock inside the deep cave with water from which you can not get out. I physically feel myself uncomfortable from realizing the situation - to survive but appear on the island and immediately after to face danger of being helplessly drowned in the cave - Second - when woman is touching the face of the main hero after years or months of loneliness (heroes do not talk - you can see the time only by means of his beard only). Deeply touching moment - and once again, while sitting in the cinema you almost physically feel the tenderness of this touch. - Third - after the main hero met woman and set a family and they gave a birth to a child and child has grown up and it looked like "life is happy"drastic storm from the sea arrives and almost kills all of them.
And the final and the most beautiful moment, in my opinion: after their son left them and they reached old age (one can guess of it from the gray hairs om his and her) and it is obvious that soon they will die they "dance to the end of love" - again and again deeply touching and moving moment.
Very very beautiful movie - a must see piece of art for those who are fond of thought provoking movies.
Proof that silent animation works!
Johnny-the-Film-Sentinel-21872 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
**Possible Spoilers Ahead**
The Red Turtle could be a period piece; it could be a modern story; it can also be set in some alien/fantasy world where everything is new and untold for us. What matters is that it's a story of a man stranded on an island and his struggles and eventual reconciliation with a sea turtle that gives him renewed purpose in life.
The Red Turtle is a French, Japanese and Belgian animated film that feels like it's appropriately European and Miyazaki-like in nature (and Studio Ghibli was one of the many studios to give this film life), and the wordless film is basically a canvas for viewers to fill their own contexts and backstories for where the hell the man came from in the first place, or even for where the hell HERE actually is!
What makes a survivor such a persistent force of nature? What happens when our circumstances change our life beyond control? Do we succumb to the desperation or do we adapt and make the most of what we can do? The Red Turtle's story feels like magic realism mixed with sci-fi-like metaphysical underpinnings.
The Red Turtle is a lovely refreshment from animation's typically 'talkie' nature, and the direction itself feels both sentimental and high-concept, and maybe it's because the island is like a metaphor for 'square one' in day-to-day life; and the man's experiences show what it feels like being at nature's mercy.
For a film that's got no words spoken, it's got A LOT to say (and show) in its speechlessness. And that's bloody hard to do with cinema: especially in today's massive market.
4.5/5 stars. The Red Turtle is like a film made FOR animation skeptics, and for naysayers of non-talkie movies 'not working' today. This film is an unusual treat.
The Red Turtle could be a period piece; it could be a modern story; it can also be set in some alien/fantasy world where everything is new and untold for us. What matters is that it's a story of a man stranded on an island and his struggles and eventual reconciliation with a sea turtle that gives him renewed purpose in life.
The Red Turtle is a French, Japanese and Belgian animated film that feels like it's appropriately European and Miyazaki-like in nature (and Studio Ghibli was one of the many studios to give this film life), and the wordless film is basically a canvas for viewers to fill their own contexts and backstories for where the hell the man came from in the first place, or even for where the hell HERE actually is!
What makes a survivor such a persistent force of nature? What happens when our circumstances change our life beyond control? Do we succumb to the desperation or do we adapt and make the most of what we can do? The Red Turtle's story feels like magic realism mixed with sci-fi-like metaphysical underpinnings.
The Red Turtle is a lovely refreshment from animation's typically 'talkie' nature, and the direction itself feels both sentimental and high-concept, and maybe it's because the island is like a metaphor for 'square one' in day-to-day life; and the man's experiences show what it feels like being at nature's mercy.
For a film that's got no words spoken, it's got A LOT to say (and show) in its speechlessness. And that's bloody hard to do with cinema: especially in today's massive market.
4.5/5 stars. The Red Turtle is like a film made FOR animation skeptics, and for naysayers of non-talkie movies 'not working' today. This film is an unusual treat.
It deserves all the praise the academy gives it.
JohnDeSando14 February 2017
"No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main . . . ." John Donne
Think you need all those material goods? Try being a castaway as in Dutchman Michael Dudok de Wit's animation,The Red Turtle. Like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, the nameless protagonist has little to work with, this time bamboo forest rather than a volley ball. And no dialogue, not even talking to himself.
As is clear from the figurative content, everyman may be an island yet needs happiness from the simplest possessions such as his ingenuity for survival and Nature. The unrealistic answer, despite the real challenges he has faced, is a companion given of the red turtle he upends. A little magic realism never hurts when you're alone.
The outline of the story has been told many times from Robinson Crusoe to Mosquito Coast with the newer Swiss Army Man and all marooned heroes in between. Yet this House of Ghibli animation, with the blessing of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, minimizes the details into simple survival, for which a branch or two and friendly Nature such as clowning crabs and tricky turtles make a difference, if you can be beloved by them.
The magical introduction of a mate into the equation certifies that community and love are essential for survival. Just let Mother Nature do her work.
She does, most often to the benefit of the survivors, but an occasional out of control set piece is here to say only so much of this sweetness can be tolerated. In one piece, nature takes a considerable toll on the island and its few inhabitants. Like Adam and Eve, the hero and his magical mate suffer under Nature's seemingly capricious temper.
Although the allegorical implications of harmony with nature are obvious in the film's minimal activities, it's the simplicity of the line and color design and the lack of dialogue that broadcast the need to strip us of our material load: simplify, simplify. Although we can't avoid the catastrophes Nature or human nature will bring to us, we will be happiest to be at one with Nature and ourselves.
The Red Turtle deserves its Oscar nomination and the experience of those with whom we share its beauty, young and old.
Think you need all those material goods? Try being a castaway as in Dutchman Michael Dudok de Wit's animation,The Red Turtle. Like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, the nameless protagonist has little to work with, this time bamboo forest rather than a volley ball. And no dialogue, not even talking to himself.
As is clear from the figurative content, everyman may be an island yet needs happiness from the simplest possessions such as his ingenuity for survival and Nature. The unrealistic answer, despite the real challenges he has faced, is a companion given of the red turtle he upends. A little magic realism never hurts when you're alone.
The outline of the story has been told many times from Robinson Crusoe to Mosquito Coast with the newer Swiss Army Man and all marooned heroes in between. Yet this House of Ghibli animation, with the blessing of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, minimizes the details into simple survival, for which a branch or two and friendly Nature such as clowning crabs and tricky turtles make a difference, if you can be beloved by them.
The magical introduction of a mate into the equation certifies that community and love are essential for survival. Just let Mother Nature do her work.
She does, most often to the benefit of the survivors, but an occasional out of control set piece is here to say only so much of this sweetness can be tolerated. In one piece, nature takes a considerable toll on the island and its few inhabitants. Like Adam and Eve, the hero and his magical mate suffer under Nature's seemingly capricious temper.
Although the allegorical implications of harmony with nature are obvious in the film's minimal activities, it's the simplicity of the line and color design and the lack of dialogue that broadcast the need to strip us of our material load: simplify, simplify. Although we can't avoid the catastrophes Nature or human nature will bring to us, we will be happiest to be at one with Nature and ourselves.
The Red Turtle deserves its Oscar nomination and the experience of those with whom we share its beauty, young and old.
A very long short film
discardedimage19 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
There is not that much in this drawn out short film to keep your attention.
The scenery was pleasant enough, but nothing special enough that the eye would like to linger. The plot didn't hold any surprises, ending as expected, and the few perilous sequences were otherwise unconnected to the rest of the film. The clichéd old-couple-dancing scene was thankfully brief. It was also difficult to connect to the characters because of the lack of dialog.
I starting fiddling playing with my phone around the 2/3 mark and left as soon as the credits started to roll.
The scenery was pleasant enough, but nothing special enough that the eye would like to linger. The plot didn't hold any surprises, ending as expected, and the few perilous sequences were otherwise unconnected to the rest of the film. The clichéd old-couple-dancing scene was thankfully brief. It was also difficult to connect to the characters because of the lack of dialog.
I starting fiddling playing with my phone around the 2/3 mark and left as soon as the credits started to roll.
Every man lives on a lonely island
jwxujerry25 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The story is a metaphor for a man's life. Every man lives on a small island, isolated, physically or spiritually, or both. A single man's life is lonely and frustrating, as illustrated by the character's early life scenes. A woman comes to his life by a miracle that changes his life. A child brings joy. Yet the family is the island, separated by the sea. The child grows up and inevitably leaves. Then there is lonely couple. Then the man dies after the last glimpse of the noon light, and the woman is gone after his death. It's a simple story that depicting the loneliness of human souls. Every family is like a small island, isolating the man from the world.
Nice dress, but poor in substance
kerorogio13 May 2021
Mentioning studio ghibli has become an advertising trick, but honestly, the only two things that can remember the Japanese studio are: the scroung crabs and the naturalistic element. For the rest, the film has a strong European identity.
The problem with the film, besides its slowness, is that it wants to be authorial at all costs; from the soundtrack, to the hallucinations out of context, up to the lack of dubbing, it also lacks a real plot, which can be summarized in short as "The cycle of life". Do you have any curiosity about man's past, about the magical element, about the turtle's initial persistence, or about how he has practical knowledge despite the lack of experience and tools? Well, the director will not explain anything to you.
It remains a curated product, but it doesn't have much to say, despite efforts.
The problem with the film, besides its slowness, is that it wants to be authorial at all costs; from the soundtrack, to the hallucinations out of context, up to the lack of dubbing, it also lacks a real plot, which can be summarized in short as "The cycle of life". Do you have any curiosity about man's past, about the magical element, about the turtle's initial persistence, or about how he has practical knowledge despite the lack of experience and tools? Well, the director will not explain anything to you.
It remains a curated product, but it doesn't have much to say, despite efforts.
Amazing in every way!
edsel-3247225 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I can't say enough.good things about this animated film. Although the general description of a feature length animated film with no dialogue, about a man marooned on an island and his interactions with a giant red turtle at first seem odd, nevertheless this is definitely worth watching. After several tries to see the entire movie on cable, I was finally able to see it from beginning to end in one viewing. Then everything made sense.
What particularly is.so beautiful is the sparse animation which focuses you on the relevant action and emotions. The animators have captured the fluidity and grace of movement of the humans and animals depicted. Obviously they studied how things move and how to show that with a minimum of pen strokes. If it had been live action, I don't think there would be so powerful an impact from so little motion. They must have posted a banner in the studio that said "Less Is More".
What particularly is.so beautiful is the sparse animation which focuses you on the relevant action and emotions. The animators have captured the fluidity and grace of movement of the humans and animals depicted. Obviously they studied how things move and how to show that with a minimum of pen strokes. If it had been live action, I don't think there would be so powerful an impact from so little motion. They must have posted a banner in the studio that said "Less Is More".
Meh meh mehhhhhhhh..
TheOneThatYouWanted1 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I can't say I'm a fan. It is okay at best and completely indie but doesn't cook the goose or pass any finish lines. If you think about it, any film that isn't from a major Hollywood studio film is an indie film (Shocker! Right?) however our collective culture has associated the term "indie" as something positive when in fact it is simply a categorization. So I'm going to give you the hard knocked truth about this anime. The animation is weak and annoying but grows on you to the point of being bearable. The story isn't remarkable and maybe even pretentious. Basically, the guy goes insane and makes out with a sea turtle for twenty years or so. Heck, that can happen to the best of us, so who am I to judge? But as you can tell from the reviews, people are overthinking this one and making it out to be more than it is because we are living in an age where CGI-animation is the way to grab eyes. Am I coming off as mean? Try this on for size, I think hipsters and trendies are overhyping this film because they frankly can not think for themselves. Deal with it.
Nature Speaks; Illuminating and Powerful
Blue-Grotto23 October 2016
The way this illuminating and ethereal film captures the senses makes you wish to linger in each frame; approaching rain the only sound, stars and moonlight reflected in the calm sea, the comforting and rhythmic wash of waves at night, the endless shades and patterns of color and sunlight in water and emotions conveyed in just a glance.
A lone man washes up on a remote and uninhabited island shore after a shipwreck. He is resourceful, works his way out of perilous situations and manages to find fresh water, fish and breadfruit to sustain him. He builds a sturdy raft and launches it in the sea, yet a large sea turtle breaks the raft apart. The turtle seems to want him to stay on the island. In a moment of rage, the man attacks the turtle and unwittingly sets in motion something more powerful than he can imagine.
The Red Turtle is wordless, yet not soundless. Nature speaks instead, in all its wonder apart from the noise of civilization. We hear, among other things, the movement of figures in the grass, the preternatural buzz of cicadas in the trees, a storm sweeping over the forest, waves tumbling in rhythm upon the shore, curious crabs turning over objects in their claws and wind rising and falling like emotions or breath.
The tremendous power of the Red Turtle is in its exquisite artistry and the emotions it conveys. The art is surreal and realistic at the same time. Every frame is so detailed, expressive and colorful that I – a nature lover I admit – broke down in awe and wonder. That the filmmakers shared this sentiment for the natural world is clear. The light on island greenery positively glows, there is play between sun and shadows, and clouds move resplendent in the twilight like they are stars in their own show.
Human emotion is conveyed with just as much ability as that of nature. People talk without speaking. They know the feelings of others, by their manner and the look in their eyes, in an instant. Because of the film's amazing artists, the audience doesn't need to hear words to know what is going on. The artwork conveys the contents of hearts. It is a much better way to communicate really. We feel the man's remorse for wanting to harm a turtle that wanted to help him. Someone reaches out their hand and we feel the touch on our cheeks. We move our feet with the dance beneath the sea.
Above all, the Red Turtle clearly renders our deep connection to nature and to each other. It does this so well it brings tears. We witness nature in all its wonder and power. As with Native American art, the film artistry allows the audience to glimpse and understand the lives of animals.
The Red Turtle was made in collaboration with Studio Ghibli. The director maintained after the showing that Studio Ghibli placed enough trust in him that he had space and freedom to operate, yet also could turn to them for advice when needed. The director/studio partnership certainly found the right balance. North American premiere seen at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.
A lone man washes up on a remote and uninhabited island shore after a shipwreck. He is resourceful, works his way out of perilous situations and manages to find fresh water, fish and breadfruit to sustain him. He builds a sturdy raft and launches it in the sea, yet a large sea turtle breaks the raft apart. The turtle seems to want him to stay on the island. In a moment of rage, the man attacks the turtle and unwittingly sets in motion something more powerful than he can imagine.
The Red Turtle is wordless, yet not soundless. Nature speaks instead, in all its wonder apart from the noise of civilization. We hear, among other things, the movement of figures in the grass, the preternatural buzz of cicadas in the trees, a storm sweeping over the forest, waves tumbling in rhythm upon the shore, curious crabs turning over objects in their claws and wind rising and falling like emotions or breath.
The tremendous power of the Red Turtle is in its exquisite artistry and the emotions it conveys. The art is surreal and realistic at the same time. Every frame is so detailed, expressive and colorful that I – a nature lover I admit – broke down in awe and wonder. That the filmmakers shared this sentiment for the natural world is clear. The light on island greenery positively glows, there is play between sun and shadows, and clouds move resplendent in the twilight like they are stars in their own show.
Human emotion is conveyed with just as much ability as that of nature. People talk without speaking. They know the feelings of others, by their manner and the look in their eyes, in an instant. Because of the film's amazing artists, the audience doesn't need to hear words to know what is going on. The artwork conveys the contents of hearts. It is a much better way to communicate really. We feel the man's remorse for wanting to harm a turtle that wanted to help him. Someone reaches out their hand and we feel the touch on our cheeks. We move our feet with the dance beneath the sea.
Above all, the Red Turtle clearly renders our deep connection to nature and to each other. It does this so well it brings tears. We witness nature in all its wonder and power. As with Native American art, the film artistry allows the audience to glimpse and understand the lives of animals.
The Red Turtle was made in collaboration with Studio Ghibli. The director maintained after the showing that Studio Ghibli placed enough trust in him that he had space and freedom to operate, yet also could turn to them for advice when needed. The director/studio partnership certainly found the right balance. North American premiere seen at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.
Anguished cry
sharky_553 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The Red Turtle washes over you like a cool breeze; pleasant, although the rave reviews of a life-changing experience may be a little overstated. The film is a co-production between Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit and the brains-trust of Studio Ghibli, as the crimson Totoro in lieu of the usual blue in the opening credits tells us. But you could learn that simply from watching the characters move and the sea shimmer in the opening sequence anyway; gone are the thick, clean anime-inspired lines of Ghibli's standard, the wide eyes and the fat limbs. And in their place, two black dots for eyes, a wiry frame drawn from thin lines, and an island setting that seems to be perpetually overcast. This is no island paradise - the backgrounds of sky, sea and rock are made of great swathes of watercolour washes, the dullness of blue and grey almost overbearing. No wonder that our protagonist is immediately searching for an escape. There are certain stretches of beauty amongst this: morning sun peeking through the gaps of a bamboo forest, and compositions of stark simplicity of a lone figure standing on the endless beach. Yet when night falls the film turns monochrome, and the harsh reality of waking up robs him of fleeting moments of serenity in his dreams.
So it has a confident vision of its tone, and even the cutesy hijinks of a cast of cartoon crabs doesn't deter it. Aside from a few anguished shouts it is all but a silent film, leaving the sound design and swirling score to do most of the emotional heavy lifting. This all feeds into the moment that the red turtle washes onto the shore helpless, and in a fit that shook me, he turns it onto its back, and stomps down angrily. It is at this point that a comparison to Kim Ki-duk's masterpiece Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring is unavoidable. The vicious act is likened to that of a little monk's torment of three small animals, puncturing the quiet calm with sudden violence. They both draw our attention to the egocentrism of man, and make elliptical leaps through life in their editing.
But the broadness of this tale leads it to eventually stumble. Its silence allows the viewer to fill the gaps with whatever thematic metaphor that is most applicable, while the actual narrative remains thin. Halfway through, the film skips ahead in leaps and bounds until it lands into another typical fable about a creature living amongst men, able to feign being human but hearing their calling elsewhere. A tsunami strikes the island suddenly, leaving devastation in its wake; this might be the slot where Ghibli's usual caution on the power and unpredictability of nature could be inserted, but it merely replaces dullness with a greyer dullness, and they stagger on quietly. Later, the child merges with another giant wave, overlooking his parents with a sense of detachment, and the message is muddled further. There are two stories and not enough time to explore them.
I've seen the latter done better anyway, in Ghibli's own Princess Kaguya and the excellent Irish Song of the Sea. Consider a sequence from that film where Saoirse, the mixed offspring of a human father and a fabled selkie first dives back into the sea where she truly belongs. The watercolour animation swirls around her as if it had just been painted with wet brush, the sea springs to life in response to her touch. The moment is magical. Does The Red Turtle take any time out of its broad allegory to woo us like this? To sell us the fractured identities of these characters, and explore the potential of its medium? Let's put it this way: there's more charm in one of Dudok de Wit's eight minute shorts than there is in the feature length of The Red Turtle.
So it has a confident vision of its tone, and even the cutesy hijinks of a cast of cartoon crabs doesn't deter it. Aside from a few anguished shouts it is all but a silent film, leaving the sound design and swirling score to do most of the emotional heavy lifting. This all feeds into the moment that the red turtle washes onto the shore helpless, and in a fit that shook me, he turns it onto its back, and stomps down angrily. It is at this point that a comparison to Kim Ki-duk's masterpiece Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring is unavoidable. The vicious act is likened to that of a little monk's torment of three small animals, puncturing the quiet calm with sudden violence. They both draw our attention to the egocentrism of man, and make elliptical leaps through life in their editing.
But the broadness of this tale leads it to eventually stumble. Its silence allows the viewer to fill the gaps with whatever thematic metaphor that is most applicable, while the actual narrative remains thin. Halfway through, the film skips ahead in leaps and bounds until it lands into another typical fable about a creature living amongst men, able to feign being human but hearing their calling elsewhere. A tsunami strikes the island suddenly, leaving devastation in its wake; this might be the slot where Ghibli's usual caution on the power and unpredictability of nature could be inserted, but it merely replaces dullness with a greyer dullness, and they stagger on quietly. Later, the child merges with another giant wave, overlooking his parents with a sense of detachment, and the message is muddled further. There are two stories and not enough time to explore them.
I've seen the latter done better anyway, in Ghibli's own Princess Kaguya and the excellent Irish Song of the Sea. Consider a sequence from that film where Saoirse, the mixed offspring of a human father and a fabled selkie first dives back into the sea where she truly belongs. The watercolour animation swirls around her as if it had just been painted with wet brush, the sea springs to life in response to her touch. The moment is magical. Does The Red Turtle take any time out of its broad allegory to woo us like this? To sell us the fractured identities of these characters, and explore the potential of its medium? Let's put it this way: there's more charm in one of Dudok de Wit's eight minute shorts than there is in the feature length of The Red Turtle.
Pretentious, overly metaphorical and filled with clichés
stroggos28 May 2017
I'm a fan of art-house and independent movies, and I generally look at what the critics say to make decisions about what I should watch. But once in a while there is a movie where my impression is so massively different from the 'received view' that I am baffled about what goes on in the minds of critics. RED TURTLE is just such a movie.
The story is seemingly simple: Shipwrecked guy stuck on on island wants to escape, builds a series of rafts, but gets held back by a gigantic red sea turtle. Eventually, the two develop a complex (and convoluted) relationship which is, to be honest, quite difficult to explain.
Let's start with the good things first. The imagery is truly beautiful. Lots of landscape shots of oceans, sunsets and the island. While the music, emphasizing string and piano tunes, is a bit generic, the minimalistic style is compelling and unique. The animation is so well done that the first appearance of the red turtle is a proper WOW moment. There are also some genuinely cute side characters, such as the hilarious little crabs that keep running up and down the beach. The pacing is generally done well, and the atmosphere of serenity that pervades the movie is persistent.
While I was impressed by the style of the animation and the mood, it was the seemingly fantastic (or metaphorical?) elements of the movie that just threw me off. I was constantly struggling whether the happenings are to be interpreted figuratively or literally. This is a very subjective judgment, but I personally could just not cope with that ambiguity. And I couldn't cope with the semi-spiritual elements of THE RED TURTLE. It's not that spirituality doesn't have it's place in cinema—but spirituality, metaphors, and all that... they need to serve a purpose! Whereas movies such as KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS fail by hitting you with a blatantly obvious message over the head, this one goes the other end and shrouds everything in vague mysticism. But then, I left the theatre wondering what I should learn from this movie? What did they want to tell me? A dash of ambiguity is good because it keeps you thinking—but ambiguity is definitely best served in small portions. This one was hard to digest.
If there was a message, then I felt that the message too much emphasized traditional family values and actually was quite conservative in its depiction of gender relations. But here again different interpretations are possible because the movie never wants to commit to anything in particular.
Besides the pretentious mysticism, there are some obvious cliché moments. Romance is depicted with bright light and bodies floating into the sky—come on! And there's dream sequence after dream sequence—never a good way to progress a story!
Finally, I was wondering what the intended target audience was. Maybe THE RED TURTLE might appeal to some kids, but they will surely find a lot of the metaphorical content difficult to understand. And they may be put off by the slow pacing. For adults, the (suggested) messages may come off as trite and the fantastic elements as distracting. THE RED TURTLE tries very hard to be a meditation about love, nature, and all that. The 'everything is connected' and 'respect nature' themes are surely valuable if executed right.... but if these themes are left to mere allusions they become pointless. Mere mysticism without a resolution is not enough to fill nearly 90 minutes of playtime. A movie needs a clear goal and a clear progression of ideas— THE RED TURTLE has neither.
The story is seemingly simple: Shipwrecked guy stuck on on island wants to escape, builds a series of rafts, but gets held back by a gigantic red sea turtle. Eventually, the two develop a complex (and convoluted) relationship which is, to be honest, quite difficult to explain.
Let's start with the good things first. The imagery is truly beautiful. Lots of landscape shots of oceans, sunsets and the island. While the music, emphasizing string and piano tunes, is a bit generic, the minimalistic style is compelling and unique. The animation is so well done that the first appearance of the red turtle is a proper WOW moment. There are also some genuinely cute side characters, such as the hilarious little crabs that keep running up and down the beach. The pacing is generally done well, and the atmosphere of serenity that pervades the movie is persistent.
While I was impressed by the style of the animation and the mood, it was the seemingly fantastic (or metaphorical?) elements of the movie that just threw me off. I was constantly struggling whether the happenings are to be interpreted figuratively or literally. This is a very subjective judgment, but I personally could just not cope with that ambiguity. And I couldn't cope with the semi-spiritual elements of THE RED TURTLE. It's not that spirituality doesn't have it's place in cinema—but spirituality, metaphors, and all that... they need to serve a purpose! Whereas movies such as KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS fail by hitting you with a blatantly obvious message over the head, this one goes the other end and shrouds everything in vague mysticism. But then, I left the theatre wondering what I should learn from this movie? What did they want to tell me? A dash of ambiguity is good because it keeps you thinking—but ambiguity is definitely best served in small portions. This one was hard to digest.
If there was a message, then I felt that the message too much emphasized traditional family values and actually was quite conservative in its depiction of gender relations. But here again different interpretations are possible because the movie never wants to commit to anything in particular.
Besides the pretentious mysticism, there are some obvious cliché moments. Romance is depicted with bright light and bodies floating into the sky—come on! And there's dream sequence after dream sequence—never a good way to progress a story!
Finally, I was wondering what the intended target audience was. Maybe THE RED TURTLE might appeal to some kids, but they will surely find a lot of the metaphorical content difficult to understand. And they may be put off by the slow pacing. For adults, the (suggested) messages may come off as trite and the fantastic elements as distracting. THE RED TURTLE tries very hard to be a meditation about love, nature, and all that. The 'everything is connected' and 'respect nature' themes are surely valuable if executed right.... but if these themes are left to mere allusions they become pointless. Mere mysticism without a resolution is not enough to fill nearly 90 minutes of playtime. A movie needs a clear goal and a clear progression of ideas— THE RED TURTLE has neither.
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