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The Red Turtle

Play trailer 1:58 Poster for The Red Turtle PG 2017 1h 20m Adventure Fantasy Drama Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 172 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Recounting the milestones in the life of a human being through the story of a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds.
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The Red Turtle

The Red Turtle

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Critics Consensus

The Red Turtle adds to Studio Ghibli's estimable legacy with a beautifully animated effort whose deceptively simple story boasts narrative layers as richly absorbing as its lovely visuals.

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Critics Reviews

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Donald Clarke Irish Times 06/14/2017
4/5
The Red Turtle is a truly delightful film that does its parent company proud. Hugely recommended. Go to Full Review
Isabel Stevens Sight & Sound 06/05/2017
The depth and texture on show here - conjured from a surge of pencil marks and watercolour washes - is remarkable. The film is a must for the big screen. Go to Full Review
Kate Stables Sight & Sound 06/05/2017
A precise and elegant fable, which uses magical realism to wind its elements together, The Red Turtle hints rather than hollers about the emotional bond between man and animal. Go to Full Review
Pablo O. Scholz Clarín Oct 16
4/4
The Red Turtle is an unspoken film that leaves us speechless. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Emiliano Basile EscribiendoCine Oct 7
9/10
This film doesn't quite live up to the likes of Studio Ghibli gems... However, it maintains that extra layer of fascinating, simple representation that compels you to let the images carry you away. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Trevor Johnston Radio Times 08/30/2024
5/5
The course of 80 minutes brings us nail-biting drama, a touch of romance (!) and a profound engagement with the cycle of life, all rendered in an exquisite line-drawing style that's elemental in its simplicity. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Lucas O @LucasOMovies Sep 23 Rating: 74%. I loved the beautiful animation in this movie. Even with no dialogue it was decently interesting and keep my attention. At times it can be a little confusing as to the meaning behind what is going on, but it still provides emnotional connections and a wholesome story. A little on the boring side, but still good enough to give it a solid score and say its a good movie. See more Johnathon W @Hoppynsc Mar 12 Gorgeous yet simplistic animated film that truly shows the beauty of the genre. Director Michael Dudok crafts a beautiful story about a man stranded on a deserted island only to fall in love in a most extraordinary way. The animation is gorgeous yet simplistic, showing the artistry only the medium could perform, focusing on the visual (there is no spoken dialogue throughout the movie). Easily one of the best animated movies in recent years. See more Tyler G @tytyx25 Feb 13 The red turtle was surreal, ethereal, and meditative to the point that I could see anyone brought to tears by this. We get the pleasure of witnessing the full lifecycle of various organisms and how our roles change over time. The animation style is wonderful & unique. The music cascading the background of the film is pleasant and adds to the emotional attachment that grows. I am glad I watched this and hope you do too. Pay attention to the moon, the ocean, and symbolism throughout. Everything felt meaningful in this film and I could see others walking away with vastly different opinions about what things meant See more Dave C Dec 29 This animated tale is about the circle of life – how organic matter is always being recycled, and how death features as part of that. With next-to-no dialogue, and a focus on the surreal and allegorical, it is the story’s artful simplicity and fantastical outlook on life that keeps us hooked on its sheer beauty See more Jay W 12/01/2024 I've been going through all of Studio Ghibli's movies, and I was not looking forward to this film. "The Red Turtle" is an 81-minute film with no dialogue about a man trapped on a desert island. It's a set up that doesn't sound all that interesting. I can work with a film without dialogue. Films like "Illusionist" and "Shaun the Sheep" are able to stay engaging without having their characters speak. It's actually the island location. Typically, don't care for desert island movies, there's only so much you can do with the setting. It helps if a character has someone to work off of, that is why in "Cast Away" the include Wilson. But putting my bias against 'island movies', how does this movie hold up. Well, like all Ghibli films it is beautifully animated, but not at its best. The movie doesn't have as much room to flex its animation muscles like in "Castle in the Sky" or "Princess Mononoke". There isn't much they can do with the colors or movement; they are constrained by the limited characters and setting. For the lack of dialogue, for a lot of the runtime it makes sense. There is no one for him to talk to, so why would he talk to himself? But other times I wonder, why isn't this man saying anything? There isn't much motivation for us to root for this man to get off the island. Not that the protagonist isn't likable, they actually do a good job making him a sympathetic hero. It's that we never see what his life on land is like. Given the strange world this is, I'm not 100% sure that there is other land out there. The movie takes a surprise turn at about the 40-minute mark that made me pause and say: "What?" I won't spoil where the story goes, that is part of the fun. Just know that it is a strange turn. I don't think this will be anyone's favorite Ghibli film, but it is still a Ghibli film, which is better than so many others. If you're on a desert island, and it's the only thing to watch, then give it a watch. Otherwise, I wouldn't search it out. See more Freeze P 06/12/2024 Saw this at the Eye in the Netherlands. Very, very beautiful. See more Read all reviews
The Red Turtle

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Recounting the milestones in the life of a human being through the story of a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds.
Director
Michael Dudok de Wit
Producer
Toshio Suzuki, Vincent Maraval
Screenwriter
Pascale Ferran
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
CN4 Productions, arte France Cinéma, Studio Ghibli, Belvision, Why Not Productions, Wild Bunch International
Rating
PG (Some Thematic Elements|Peril)
Genre
Adventure, Fantasy, Drama, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 20, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 2, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$920.1K
Runtime
1h 20m
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