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Film Search
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The Red Turtle
Adventure
The Studio Ghibli logo at the beginning might be a bit misleading: In style and tone, this gripping, nearly wordless animated fairy tale is its own distinctive creation. Writer/director Michael Dudok de Wit begins his story with a nameless male protagonist already lost at sea, Cast Away-style, and stranded on a deserted island. After several strangely thwarted attempts to escape the island, he encounters a mysterious giant, red sea turtle, and … well, what happens next is what takes it from the realm of realistic survival yarn to fantasy. There’s little in the way of traditional character arc, notwithstanding a thread involving our hero facing some guilt from an act of violent frustration. But the simplicity of de Wit’s compositions—precise shots like a tiny head emerging from the immensity of the ocean—and the near-pervasive silence make for an enveloping experience. When the surprising plot turns lead to an unexpected sense of epic emotional consequence, you get a reminder of how many different ways there can be to tell an animated story, and how satisfying it can be to see someone break from the norm.
Official Site: sonyclassics.com/theredturtle
Director: Michael Dudok de Wit
Producer: Valérie Schermann and Christophe Jankovic
Director: Michael Dudok de Wit
Producer: Valérie Schermann and Christophe Jankovic
