An unnamed man washes up as a castaway on an uninhabited island. After then failing to adapt to island life and find rescue, he tries to build a raft, but once he sets sail, he encounters a giant red turtle who destroys the raft. So he builds another, but again the turtle destroys it, and then another, which meets the same fate. Finally he gives up when he gets to know the turtle and they make a most unexpected connection.
Let me flag this outright: The Red Turtle is an exceptionally demanding watch. It's glacially slow and entirely dialogue-free. I admit, it tried my patience in places. But if you truly stick with it, I think you'll be captivated; I sure was. Nominated for the 2016 Best Animated Feature Oscar, this effort from Dutch animation director Michael Dudok de Wit and Japan's iconic Studio Ghibli is daring, emotional, visually breathtaking and certainly unique. The less you know about the plot beforehand, the better, but I will say I ultimately found it tremendously affecting and surprising, with a very wise and lucid narrative arc exploring family, belonging and nature.
Another bonus here is Laurent Perez del Mar's rich and earthy musical score which helps to draw you even deeper into the protagonist's new life in a most dangerous and unfamiliar environment. But the narrative and visual backdrop to that is where its brightest beauty and power lies. The Red Turtle isn't for every taste, but I would challenge anybody to say they've seen something like it before.
Another bonus here is Laurent Perez del Mar's rich and earthy musical score which helps to draw you even deeper into the protagonist's new life in a most dangerous and unfamiliar environment. But the narrative and visual backdrop to that is where its brightest beauty and power lies. The Red Turtle isn't for every taste, but I would challenge anybody to say they've seen something like it before.
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