The Faerie world is matter-of-factly depicted as living, magical and powerful Christianity is mundane and limited. It must be admitted that The Secret of Kells somewhat short-changes Brendan's Christian world in relation to Ireland's lingering paganism. We are told about, and finally shown, the splendor of the Chi-Rho page, a stylized depiction of the Chi-Rho monogram representing the first two letters of "Christ" in Greek often seen, like the Ichthus fish, in sacred art -but not what the Chi-Rho is. Much of this is implicitly presupposed, but not spelled out, in The Secret of Kellswhich offers virtually no hint of the contents of the Book of Kells, or of the contents of the Faith it embodies. The Irish monks have been credited with "turning darkness into light," not only with respect to the light of the gospel, but also in helping to preserve the light of classical learning through the Dark Ages of barbarian conquest. The Book of Kellsa fantastically decorated edition of the Four Gospels, is both one of the finest works of medieval Irish illumination, and the best-known symbol of the Irish illuminated manuscript tradition. Brendan's world is half Christian, half Faerie, with barbaric invaders, woodland sprites and dark gods coexisting, at least for the time being, with the work of the monks-works like "the book that turns darkness into light," according to the opening voiceover by the woodland fairy Aisling Christen Mooneywhom Brendan meets and befriends in the forest. Developed at the Irish media company Cartoon Saloon by co-founder Tomm Moore, who wrote the story with screenwriter Fabrice Ziolkowski and directed with Nora Twomey, the animated indie weds the design sensibilities of traditional Insular art with the stylized simplicity of such contemporary retro animation as "Samurai Jack" or "Star Wars: The Clone Wars.Ī similar blend of simplicity and elaboration animates the narrative, told from the perspective of young Brendan Evan McGuirean orphan living at the abbey of Kells under the sternly watchful eye of Abbot Cellach Brendan GleesonBrendan's uncle. Ornate scrollwork, endless knots, spirals, plaits, circles, arches, panels, and decorative borders dance and frolic throughout The Secret of Kells. Its skillful balancing act of paganism and Christianity in its evocation of medieval Celtic spirituality is both fascinating and enchanting.In the eighth or ninth century, an unknown Irish monk, in a playful respite from his normal work, penned in the margins of a Latin New Testament manuscript an affectionate ode to the mouse-catching prowess of his white cat. Unlike anything else you've seen, and very much worth seeking out, this is a unique and beautiful creation. A feast for the eyes that manages to be both whimsical and sinister. Tomm Moore's Irish animation, drawn with painstaking reference to both Celtic myth and medieval manuscripts, possesses a lively originality that shows Europe's animators not far behind America's and in some ways in front of them.ĭerek Malcolm. Kells has a decidedly pleasing-to-the-eye, retro-cartoon vibe Chris Chang.
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
So Fresh: Absolute Must See! You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket. Beautifully drawn and refreshingly calm, The Secret of Kells hearkens back to animation's golden age with an enchanting tale inspired by Irish mythology.
Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policiesand to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. Forgot your password? Don't have an account? Sign up here.