The Secret of Kells: A 2D Avatar

This is a little late in posting, but I had the pleasure of attending an advance screening of The Secret of Kells at an indie theatre in Pittsburgh.

A world of magic and mysticism...

The film is an animated story about the creation of the Book of Kells, a breathtaking Irish illuminated book created by mediaeval monks. The story is about a young boy, Brendan, who defies his uncle (the Abbot, played by Brendan Gleeson) and works with another monk on making another page in the Book of Kells. He ventures into the forbidden forest, and encounters the pagan world of fairies and stonehenges that differs from his Catholic doctrine. The Norsemen threaten to destroy the town while Brendan's mission to illuminate a page is threatened. Will he succeed and will the town survive?

The movie didn't really make an explicit point, nor did it explain the significance of the Book of Kells (people raised in the Irish culture like myself will know but others should brush up on it before seeing the movie). However, the animation was arresting. It was a wonderful return to 2D, like The Princess and the Frog, and the style was artistic, fluid, and a narrative unto itself. The music was a powerful Irish score, and the closing song sung by Aisling (pronounced Ashleen) was haunting.

The themes were like Avatar, that it seemed to inspire the viewer to accept a mystical bond with nature that is as guiding as religion. It wasn't as incriminating or political as Avatar, but it was as spiritual and uplifting. It deserved its nomination for Best Animated Feature.