The Red Turtle

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Johnathon W 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. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/13/25 Full Review Tyler G 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 Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/25 Full Review Dave C 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 Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/29/24 Full Review Jay W 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. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 12/01/24 Full Review Freeze P Saw this at the Eye in the Netherlands. Very, very beautiful. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/12/24 Full Review Georgan G An amazing film, beautifully animated, with deep layers to the story. Love the imagery like the baby turles leaving home for their own life. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/29/24 Full Review Read all reviews

The Red Turtle

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