The Secret of Kells is an Irish-French-Belgian-British animated feature film that revolves around the "making" of the famous "Book of Kells", an illustrated Irish illustrated Bible of the Middle Ages through the eyes of the young monk-child Brendan.
The movie translates well into images and style the layout, functionality and way of life of old medieval abbeys in Ireland, and the religiosity dominating the period.
The abbey in the movie, as well as its surroundings, are somewhat a reproduction of the old monastic place of Glendalough in Ireland, and even has the lighting and atmosphere you get when you visit it. In that regard, the movie is true to the surroundings, physical space, atmosphere, and history of this sort of abbeys, always in constant danger, at the beginning of the Middle Ages.
This is old traditional drawing and coloring revamped and modernized that incorporates the cultural and historical background of the place into the storytelling. There is also a wonderful mix of Early-Christian and Pre-Christian Irish elements, myths and motives in the story and the visuals of the movie. The use of lightening is superb, especially in scenes in the forest, and it really recreates the mood and magic that surround Glendalough's woodlands. In fact, the drawing of the forest is luscious and extremely artistic, as well as all the design of the monastery, its yards and orchards despite their flatness and awkward perspectives. Also great is the dual coloring, so colorful and bright for the abbey and the forest, with a predominance of greens, while a mix of intense red/black mate colors are used for the scenes involving the barbarians and their attacks.
The script is simple and somewhat predictable and the characters classic, but the story is so original and unconventional, the animation so artistic, the design so unique, the subject so educative, the music so beautiful, that the result is an uber-charming entertaining gorgeous movie for the whole family.
The movie translates well into images and style the layout, functionality and way of life of old medieval abbeys in Ireland, and the religiosity dominating the period.
The abbey in the movie, as well as its surroundings, are somewhat a reproduction of the old monastic place of Glendalough in Ireland, and even has the lighting and atmosphere you get when you visit it. In that regard, the movie is true to the surroundings, physical space, atmosphere, and history of this sort of abbeys, always in constant danger, at the beginning of the Middle Ages.
This is old traditional drawing and coloring revamped and modernized that incorporates the cultural and historical background of the place into the storytelling. There is also a wonderful mix of Early-Christian and Pre-Christian Irish elements, myths and motives in the story and the visuals of the movie. The use of lightening is superb, especially in scenes in the forest, and it really recreates the mood and magic that surround Glendalough's woodlands. In fact, the drawing of the forest is luscious and extremely artistic, as well as all the design of the monastery, its yards and orchards despite their flatness and awkward perspectives. Also great is the dual coloring, so colorful and bright for the abbey and the forest, with a predominance of greens, while a mix of intense red/black mate colors are used for the scenes involving the barbarians and their attacks.
The script is simple and somewhat predictable and the characters classic, but the story is so original and unconventional, the animation so artistic, the design so unique, the subject so educative, the music so beautiful, that the result is an uber-charming entertaining gorgeous movie for the whole family.