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The Secret of Kells Movie Review

The Secret of Kells is a 2009 Irish animated fantasy film directed by Tomm Moore. It’s a very strong debut for this great animation director.

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“You can’t find out everything from books, you know.

I think I read that once“

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In the remote Irish woods, Cellach prepares a fortress for an impending attack by a Viking war party. Unbeknownst to Cellach, his young nephew Brendan works secretly as an apprentice in the scriptorium of the local monastery, learning the ancient art of calligraphy. As the Vikings approach, revered illuminator Aidan arrives at the monastery and recruits Brendan to complete a series of dangerous, magical tasks.

Tomm Moore is phenomenal when it comes to old Irish fairy tales, folklore and period pieces. This is no exception. Although I still do prefer ‘Song of the Sea’ as a much more memorable movie, The Secret of Kells itself is a very good picture, especially great for a feature debut. The story here is very interesting as it deals with the Viking expansion during the 9^th century and how it impacted Ireland. It’s thus terrific as a very grounded historical fiction that also serves as a wonderful fantasy due to its fantastic calligraphy and fairies angle.

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Brendan is a very likable protagonist and Aisling, the forest fairy, is such an endearing, mysterious presence. The scenes between the two are the film’s most charming and childlike, and I wanted more of those for sure. Brother Aidan is such a cool guy. The moments in the scriptorium are usually the movie’s most memorable and most intriguing. As for Cellach, he is your standard overly tough guardian/ parent figure, but he’s so well developed and genuinely caring toward Brendan that he ended up being probably the best character of the bunch. It doesn’t hurt that he was performed by the great Brendan Gleeson.

Let’s talk about the animation, which is undoubtedly this film’s most crowning achievement. This is the type of hand-drawn animation that is so simple, yet rich in detail, but also very classic in its feel. It thus sticks out in the CGI-infested world that we live in these days. The calligraphy was stunning, the forest looked absolutely gorgeous and the meticulous approach in terms of interior as well as exterior design is to be respected here. Some scenes are so artistic that they reach real Medieval art levels how authentic they are.

The Secret of Kells isn’t particularly well edited or paced. I personally found it overly short for such a rich, interesting story. It only lasts for about 75 minutes, which was way too short for me. That resulted in the pace feeling abrupt in certain scenes, especially in the Viking invasion, which was ridiculously rushed. Also, the first act just starts out of nowhere without properly developing its characters or setting its premise well.

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Those flaws prevent The Secret of Kells from reaching ‘Song of the Sea’ greatness levels, but still it’s a very good, wonderful movie that has the power to appeal both to kids and adults while especially being powerful for history enthusiasts. The dialogue is strong as is the directing and the acting. The score is definitely one of the highlights as it’s so wonderfully old-fashioned and Medieval in its feel, being downright epic in certain scenes. The same goes for fantastic sound effects that make this one a truly atmospheric treat.

Tomm Moore’s The Secret of Kells is often rushed and ultimately too short in runtime, but it succeeds as a wonderfully folk fantasy period piece, which makes great use of Irish Medieval history. It is also populated with endearing characters. The score is simply magnificent while the animation is not only gorgeous, but downright artistic and meticulously crafted in its stunning interiors.