The Secret of Kells Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Secret of Kells Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 24, 2021

As strikingly animated and superlatively textured a motion picture as “The Secret of Kells” is, it can be a little aloof. A blend of history and mythology, the feature is a distinctive enterprise that aims to challenge family audiences and animation purists with a tenaciously 2-D snapshot of the world. It’s a passionate, dreamlike offering of filmmaking that requires the viewer to surrender to its often challenging storytelling, yet the time invested with this fringe player in the animation marketplace clash of the titans is rewarded with a resourceful, exquisite tale of tradition and education.

In the 9th century, Abbot Cellach (voiced by Brendan Gleeson) has ordered the construction of a massive wall to help protect the Abbey of Kells from the wrath of the Vikings. Brendan (Evan McGuire) is a child growing up in the center of the settlement, curious about the forests that stand beyond the stone. Arriving hastily in Kells after a Viking attack is Brother Aiden (Mick Lally), who’s been working on a collection of illumination called The Book of Iona. Sensing a great apprentice in Brendan, Aiden sends the boy off into to the woods to retrieve berries for ink, where he finds friendship with a lonely fairy named Aisling (Christen Mooney). As the Vikings approach the abbey, Cellach attempts to keep Brendan’s soaring spirit suppressed, viewing the preservation of the book as a needless distraction in the face of a violent reality.

I realize that just because “The Secret of Kells” is animated doesn’t automatically make it a family movie. However, there’s an effort from co- directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey to bring this ominous fable down to an approachable size through the colorful imagination of the filmmaking and the boundless determination of Brendan, who overcomes his lack of years with a feisty spirit of youthful questioning. Despite the forbidding tone and historic setting, younger viewers will find plenty to cheer about with “The Secret of Kells,” which smartly puts forward an adventurous tone of discovery, artistic significance, and supernatural confrontation.

While the mystery of the book and the menace of the Vikings provides a great deal of suspense, the true hook of “The Secret of Kells” is the animation, which is pure hand-drawn mastery. Reminiscent of Richard Williams’s unfinished “The Thief and the Cobbler,” Moore and Twomey imagine a largely angular world for Brendan, with exaggerated human characteristics pushed up against a colorful, perspective-bending environment, with use of split-screen and assorted surreal tangents to shake up the visual experience. Once Brendan enters the forbidden forest, the picture indulges in a range of cartoon expressions and ethereal movement, as Aisling dances around the frame indicating her flexible bond with nature. Villainy is handled superbly through the refrigerator-with-horns design of the Vikings, while Brendan’s demonic trials are bestowed painterly grace, making his battles to preserve the book dramatically and artistically thrilling.

The Secret of Kells Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"The Secret of Kells" was originally issued on Blu-ray in 2010, and returns to disc in 2021 courtesy of Shout Factory. The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation appears to be the same found on the earlier disc, offering bright and bold hues throughout the viewing experience, with clear greens and golds present. Aisling's silvery presence is also distinct, along with the reds and browns of the abbey. Animated detail is satisfactory, with the textures of the art and action present. Also carried over from the earlier disc are banding issues, with artifacting a common sight, though it registers very mildly at times.

The Secret of Kells Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix secures crisp, emotive dialogue exchanges, with delicate accents and growing dramatic intensity coming through as intended, without distortive extremes. Atmospherics are lively, registering changes in weather and room tone, along with moving elements of magic, offering some appealing panning effects. Scoring is sharp, with precise instrumentation, including warm strings and heavy percussion, which adds to low-end offerings. Conflicts also provide some weight.

The Secret of Kells Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Tomm Moore, co-director Nora Twomey, and art director Ross Stewart.

• "Voices of Ireland" (10:49, SD) is a BTS clip of the actors recording their lines. Surprisingly, many worked together in the same recording area, capturing a natural flow to their performances. As always, an opportunity to see such a technical and dramatic display is most valuable.

• "Director's Presentation" (26:59, SD) is making-of for "The Secret of Kells," tracking the picture's lengthy development period, with pages dating back to 1999. An explanation of early inspirations, concept art, and a walkthrough of color choices are also presented. The whole featurette is narrated by director Thom Moore, who excitedly describes the process of putting "The Secret of Kells" together, working intimately with the creative team to replicate the specific look of Gaelic art that was originally envisioned years before animation work had begun.

• "Pencil-to-Picture" (8:40, SD) compares early animation work to the final product.

• "Aisling at the Oscars" (:19, SD) is a short clip of the character sharing her excitement about the Academy Awards, also delighted to meet Steve Martin and his "silver" hair.

• Concept Trailer (4:07, SD) is offered with or without commentary from director Thom Moore. It offers an early look at the production approach to "The Secret of Kells."

• And a U.S. Theatrical Trailer (2:02, HD) is included.

The Secret of Kells Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Chaos storms in for the final act, which spends perhaps too much time on Cellach's nightmare of invasion. More compelling is Brendan's budding artistry, taking over the Book of Iona, giving the ornately designed pages a new purpose through his time in Kells. Suffering from a slight emotional frigidity as it sniffs out an ending, "The Secret of Kells" remains a feast for the eyes, breaking the stasis of the genre with an inspired tale, lovingly crafted by exceptional filmmakers.