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The Secret of Kells

Play trailer 1:53 Poster for The Secret of Kells 2010 1h 18m Kids & Family Adventure Fantasy Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 83 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In the remote Irish woods, Cellach (Brendan Gleeson) prepares a fortress for an impending attack by a Viking war party. Unbeknown to Cellach, his young nephew Brendan (Evan McGuire) -- who has no taste for battle -- works secretly as an apprentice in the scriptorium of the local monastery, learning the ancient art of calligraphy. As the Vikings approach, revered illuminator Aidan (Mick Lally) arrives at the monastery and recruits Brendan to complete a series of dangerous, magical tasks.
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The Secret of Kells

The Secret of Kells

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Critics Consensus

Beautifully drawn and refreshingly calm, The Secret of Kells hearkens back to animation's golden age with an enchanting tale inspired by Irish mythology.

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Critics Reviews

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Chris Chang Film Comment Magazine 11/13/2013
Kells has a decidedly pleasing-to-the-eye, retro-cartoon vibe ( ... ) an intriguing and rare artistic subgenre Go to Full Review
Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard 10/06/2010
3/5
Tomm Moore's Irish animation, drawn with painstaking reference to both Celtic myth and medieval manuscripts, possesses a lively originality that shows Europe's animators not far behind America's and in some ways in front of them. Go to Full Review
Marc Lee Daily Telegraph (UK) 09/30/2010
4/5
The look of the film is simply ravishing. Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 07/19/2022
It's indescribable, the euphoria communicated by these non-abstract shapes and shades. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Yasser Medina Cinefilia 09/17/2020
5/10
'The Secret of Kells' is an independent animated film that, in my opinion, has an imaginative visual style, as well as allusions to Irish mythology, but its narrative is as soft as the sheets of a century-old manuscript. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/05/2019
2.5/4
Its skillful balancing act of paganism and Christianity in its evocation of medieval Celtic spirituality is both fascinating and enchanting. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Noah H @Noah85 3d A childhood favorite. Hard to believe that this thing is almost 17 years old. WHAT HAPPENED?!?! Anyway, GREAT movie. BEAUTIFUL animation, compelling characters, a GORGEOUS score by Bruno Coulais, a tightly-written story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and scary moments that STILL haunt me to this day as an adult. The part when Ashley says, "Turn the Darkness into Light" used to scare the PISS out of me as a kid and it STILL does now. Brendan is also a fun protagonist and you really want to see him write the new Book of Iona. I wouldn't recommend this movie for little kids since the scary moments might terrify them, but as a teenager or adult its such a compelling movie. Rating: 10/10. See more Kevin P Feb 8 A very charming and unique Irish animated movie about the importance of passing on knowledge through literature. It has such beautiful animation and a cute art style inspired by Irish folklore, mythology, religion, and history. Most of the movie is a very charming easygoing story, but there's a dark underlying sense of dread that slowly creeps up on the main characters as they await the inevitable Viking invasion that has been ravaging the villages of medieval Ireland. The movie has a short runtime and fast pace. It's an easy watch, but I wish the cuts weren't so fast. It would be nice if the scenes lingered a little longer so we could appreciate the gorgeous folk art we're looking at just a little bit longer. The movie has a haunting climax when the Vikings break through the walls and invade the village with some stunning artwork, with the sheer contrast of the white snow, the red sky, and the imposing tall black figures of the invading army. The ending is rushed, but very mature. See more A J Dec 22 I thought it was great. It was perfectly balanced between funny, dark and magical. I personally liked it more than Wolfwalkers. See more Marcos R @Marcos3791 Sep 28 This is, at least visually speaking, possibly the most beautiful movie I've ever seen. See more Aluna U Sep 12 The film tells the story behind the creation of the Book of Kells, blending history and fantasy through stunning animation and rich symbolism. While its visuals and sound design are captivating, the plot leaves some questions unanswered about the true "secret" of Kells. Still, the film offers a meaningful message about openness to new ideas and learning from others. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) See more TROY S 02/09/2025 Magical, funny, wholly lacking in po-faced piety, the movie incorporates elements of Irish mythology and is drawn in a flat, stylised fashion that derives from the art of the time. It's about the creation of that which endures and asserts both man's faith in the spirit and his celebration of the beauty of this world. See more Read all reviews
The Secret of Kells

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the remote Irish woods, Cellach (Brendan Gleeson) prepares a fortress for an impending attack by a Viking war party. Unbeknown to Cellach, his young nephew Brendan (Evan McGuire) -- who has no taste for battle -- works secretly as an apprentice in the scriptorium of the local monastery, learning the ancient art of calligraphy. As the Vikings approach, revered illuminator Aidan (Mick Lally) arrives at the monastery and recruits Brendan to complete a series of dangerous, magical tasks.
Director
Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey
Producer
Didier Brunner, Tomm Moore, Viviane Vanfleteren, Paul Young
Screenwriter
Fabrice Ziolkowski
Distributor
GKIDS
Production Co
Vivi Film, Belgacom TV, Euroimages Fund of the Council of Europe, Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, Les Armateurs, Kinepolis Multi, Canal+, Télédistributeurs Wallons, Bórd Scannán na hÉireann, Conseil Général de la Charente, CinéCinéma, MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Tax Shelter ING Invest de Tax Shelter Productions, EU Media Plus Program, Wallimage, Conseil Régional de Poitou Charentes, Piste Rouge, Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds, Cartoon Saloon, Promimage, Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Communauté Française de Belgique, France 2 Cinéma
Genre
Kids & Family, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 5, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$686.4K
Runtime
1h 18m
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