Wendell & Wild – Film Review

The two devious demon brothers Wendell and Wild have to face their arch-enemy with the help of the nun Sister Helly, who is notorious for expelling demons. However, the brothers are not only plagued by her, but also by her altar boys.

It may be hard to believe, but Henry Selick has not directed another movie since his 2009 stop-motion animated horror family flick Coraline, based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman. That is, until now. After all these years, Selick has finally returned to filmmaking in the form of yet another stop-motion animated film called Wendell & Wild. It’s a truly beautiful and gorgeously well-realized film that serves as proof that Selick’s presence in the industry was missed.

The film, first and foremost, looks absolutely stunning. I’ve always been the biggest fan of stop-motion as opposed to the old school 2D and the newer 3D look that studios such as Illumination and DreamWorks go for. The fact that this film wasn’t made by LAIKA is quite surprising to say the least, since it really has all the makings of a brilliant LAIKA film. The atmosphere in Wendell & Wild is truly chilling as well, maybe just as eerie as Coraline.

But the real thing that matters here – as with any film – is its story. It’s great. Granted, it’s not quite as perfect as it could have been, but rest assured. Selick’s screenplay that he wrote alongside masterful horror filmmaker Jordan Peele is gripping in all the best ways. The duo find impressive ways to make this film compelling to both children and adults. You got that lovable sense of childlike wonder in here, but you also have that sense of genuine horror and fear thanks to some truly creepy scenes.

It also helped that Peele wrote this script alongside Selick because when he tackles any horror-centric project, he does it right. There are a couple of instances in which Wendell & Wild loses focus of the main story at heart, but these stumbles are very few and far between. It also brings us a cast of characters that are deeply fun to watch on screen. Keegan-Michael Key, Peele, and Lyric Ross deliver some amazing vocal performances here in the respective roles of Wendell, Wild, and Kat.

Plus its by far the most dazzling, original, and creative animated movie of the entire year thus far by a long shot. The themes and ideas presented in Wendell & Wild are striking and they’re brought to life even further due to its animation style. It’s a freaky watch to say the least, and I can see now why it’s rated PG-13. Of course, nothing truly shocking happens in this film, so little kids should be okay, but it’s still quite intense.

Wendell & Wild is a strikingly bold, dazzling, and highly creative stop-motion animated horror comedy that serves as a welcomed return for writer/director Henry Selick.