- Falling squarely into the category of "much better than it sounds," the animated feature film The Secret of Kells provides a fictional account of the origin of an illuminated manuscript known as The Book of Kells. If you're like me, you probably knew exactly nothing about the existence of this book before watching the movie. Sure, I've seen illuminated manuscripts at museums before and found them pretty enough to look at, but that's really the extent to which I've ever devoted any thought to them. I am happy to report, then, that The Secret of Kells requires no particular knowledge of, or even interest in, illuminated manuscripts. Instead, it stands as a wonderfully creative and beautiful work all on its own.
- The story relates how a young boy named Brendan (Evan McGuire) helps an older monk named Aidan (Mick Lally) complete the manuscript, which is actually much more challenging than it might sound. Standing in his way, in order of increasing lethality, are Brendan's uncle who is also the Abbot of Kells monastery (Brendan Gleeson), a forest demon named Crom Cruach, and a remarkably diabolical viking invasion force. Aside from Aidan, Brendan has only the aid of a surprisingly diverse set of noble monks, a cat named Pangur Bán, and a young forest spirit named Aisling (Christen Mooney). Normally, I'd skip over some of these names, but there is admittedly something beautiful about the language, particularly when it is being spoken by a very talented and authentically accented set of voice actors.
- That said, it's neither the plot nor the voice acting that makes The Secret of Kells so memorable. No, it's definitely the visual design, obviously intended to resemble the illuminated manuscripts themselves, that renders this film so unique amongst animated features. Characters are simple and stylized, and they are shown primarily in profile or face-on, in keeping with the visual style of the manuscripts. The spaces they occupy tend to be composed of ornate arrangements of geometrical patterns, and there are even feverish moments when the marginalia leap to life, suffusing the screen. No doubt academics who have studied the Manuscript of Kells could share with you a whole host of other secrets that the film reveals, but I'll have to be content with noting simply that this is a lovely and striking bit of work.
- This was the result of an Irish-French-Belgian collaboration, which is something.
- Wikipedia claims that The Book of Kells may be Ireland's "finest national treasure," so maybe I should feel bad for not having heard of it.
