Film Reviews

The Secret of Kells

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Brendan Gleeson
• Details: Ireland/Belgium/France / 75mins (PG).

The Secret Of Kells tells the story of 12-year-old Brendan (Maguire) and his life inside the walls of Kells Abbey. Brendan's life changes forever when legendary illuminator Aidan (Lally) arrives from Iona with the famous book and unleashes a passion and talent Brendan didn't know he had for illustration. However, the berries Aidan needs to derive colour from (and complete the book) can only be found in the surrounding forest and Brendan is forbidden to go there by the stern Abbot Callach (Gleeson). With The Abbot preoccupied with building a high wall to defend Kells' inhabitants from the invading Vikings, Brendan slinks away into the forest where he meets the enchanting Aisling (Mooney), who teaches Brendan the secrets of the forest... Delivered in an animation inspired by the Book of Kells' drawings, The Secret Of Kells can't be faulted visually. There's a wealth of amazing imagery on show here and directors Moore and Twomey deserve some serious plaudits for not succumbing to the temptation to wallow in it's remarkable visuals; all too often a beautiful image appears on the screen only for it to disappear a moment later and you're left wishing you could watch that particular moment forever. Where the film boasts imaginative animation, it lacks in storytelling. Despite the Vikings being the scariest 'bad guys' committed to children's animation since Watership Down's General Woundwort, there isn't enough drama and danger here to keep the story ticking over. The plot tends to wander about looking for something to kick off and it doesn't until close to the finale. Another stickler is that those not familiar with what the Book of Kells is about will still be in the dark when the closing credits roll. Saying that, there's enough here to keep you occupied.

Review by Gavin Burke