Skip to content

THE RED TURTLE

Written By:

Administrator
red-turtle

A Wild Bunch and Studio Ghibli co-production, The Red Turtle was met with critical acclaim following its premiere at Cannes last year and received a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars. While the film’s contemplative pacing and dialogue-free narrative may deter some audiences, The Red Turtle’s home release offers an opportunity for viewers to become engrossed in its beautifully sketched visuals and richly layered themes.

Directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit, The Red Turtle begins on an unnamed man who is left stranded on a desert island after a ferocious storm. The man goes about exploring the island – finding fruit, drinkable water and a surplus of bamboo to build a raft with. After three failed escape attempts, the man discovers that a giant red turtle is the culprit behind his trio of wrecked rafts. When the turtle crawls inland, the man vengefully hits the sea creature and pushes it onto its back – but later he becomes wracked with guilt at his violent actions. Following a surreal transformation, a mysterious woman arrives on the island, and the man begins to make peace with his predicament as the pair form a romantic bond.

The Red Turtle’s gentle pacing and minimalist narrative afford us time to get to know the central male protagonist despite being both nameless and wordless. It also delves into the features of the beautifully rendered landscapes of this desert island. Dudok de Wit’s elegant hand-drawn animation endows the film with an extraordinarily gorgeous depth and texture, masterfully developing our sympathies with the marooned man and placing the wonders of nature firmly to the forefront.

While the first half of the narrative does become slightly repetitive, the film’s second half delivers an affecting scene of natural destruction, and its fantastical twist evolves The Red Turtle from a desert island movie to a meditative, melancholy fable on the cycle of life and our relationship with nature. Deceptively deep in both its sumptuous visual imagery and in its subtly moving themes, The Red Turtle is a transcendent little gem.

The release boasts just one extra, but it’s as absorbing and calming as the film itself. In a 17-minute feature, Dudok de Wit gives an intriguing and detailed account of the process involved in sketching the movie’s characters and landscapes.

THE RED TURTLE / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: MICHAËL DUDOK DE WIT / SCREENPLAY: MICHAËL DUDOK DE WIT, PASCALE FERRAN / STARRING: EMMANUEL GARIJO, TOM HUDSON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Administrator

You May Also Like...

Short SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER Halfway to Funding

We couldn’t resist the tagline of ‘You’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf, now prepare for Santa’s Little Helper’ and had to check out the Kickstarter for a new short
Read More

First-Look Images and Sizzle Reel for Disturbing Shocker CARA

You can now get your first look at the upcoming disturbing kitchen sink horror film CARA, directed by Hayden Hewitt (Lips) and starring Ellie O’Hara, Johnny Vivash, Laurence R. Harvey,
Read More
chinese remake of anaconda drops trailer

ANACONDA Trailer Grants First Look At Remake Of 1997 Horror Flick

Three sequels and a spinoff-crossover film wasn’t enough for the 1997 creature feature Anaconda, which not only has a new movie in development, but is getting a Chinese remake! From
Read More
black widow star scarlett johansson in talks to lead new universal jurassic world film

Scarlett Johansson In Talks To Join JURASSIC WORLD Film

Another MCU star appears to be taking up the reins for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie: two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to lead the franchise that
Read More

Exclusive Reveal! Titan Comics to Deliver Prehistoric Hysterics in First 2 DUMB DINOS Collection

Titan Comics have exclusively revealed to STARBURST that they’re gearing up to publish the first-ever collection of the hilarious cult digital comic strip 2 Dumb Dinos, and we’re not the
Read More

New Dates For Lovecraftian Key of Dreams

Key of Dreams has announced new spaces for its titular immersive luxury horror event. The critically acclaimed company is known for its overnight experiences that dunk you into a strange
Read More