The Red Turtle is a masterpiece. It is a shining example of animation that emits humanity’s best and worst moments through its stunning visuals. It creates more emotions than most dramas could ever hope for and it does it with utmost simplicity.
This was quite the departure from the usual Studio Ghibli supported story. Visuals take place of words, which is tough to pull off, even for Ghibli.
Official Synopsis
Marking the much-anticipated return of Studio Ghibli, this masterfully animated fantasy film tells the story of a man shipwrecked at sea who becomes stranded on a beautiful but desolate island. He learns to live in isolation, seemingly tormented in his efforts to escape the island by a giant red turtle. Miraculously, soon he comes upon a young woman, also lost at sea, and they create a family together.
I’m a huge Studio Ghibli fan. I’m as diehard as they come and will fight tooth and nail against critics when they try to compare Studio Ghibli’s art against regular anime. Almost everything that comes from the production house is far above anime. Hell, it’s sometimes far above the typical live-action film. The movies that they produce and support provide substance and emotion. The company doesn’t simply produce animation because it’s an easy medium to work with, rather they seem to do it so they can get the maximum amount of emotion through creatively imagined visuals that are help up by the stories they’re trying to tell. When you’re not restricted with sets, fussy actors and mother nature, the world you’re trying to create on film is literally a blank canvas for you to go beyond boundaries that have previously limited creative vision.
This is why I love what Studio Ghibli does on a film-to-film basis. They get the most out of their stories through spectacular visuals. And this very reason is why I wanted to review The Red Turtle so badly. I knew it was going to be as special as it was advertised and it didn’t disappoint. I was shocked at the lack of dialogue, but at bliss with the idea that visuals would drive the story.
So, without further delay, let’s talk about it.
The general idea of The Red Turtle is ambitious. Create a Castaway type of story where a shipwrecked man finds himself on a deserted island, then make him survive. Provide him no dialogue outside of screaming the word ‘HEYYYYY!!’ and show, through visuals, his struggle to keep his body going and his sanity intact. Wrap up the first act by throwing in a few attempts of the man putting together a makeshift ship to get off the island, only to find that ship after ship is destroyed by an unseen force. Keep all of this up for nearly the first hour of the film, building frustration and hopelessness and defining his predicament through emotion. This is the first act of the film and it’s a brutal one to watch.
Survival is at stake and director Michael Dudok de Wit really puts it in perspective from the moment the man hits the island until his blissful and nearly ‘giving up’ moment arrives. It’s quite beautiful, sad and frustrating to watch as it’s all put into motion. Thankfully, the magic of this story arrives before the man meets his end. Before the man completely gives up, he is met with the arrival of the antagonist that keeps destroying his ship, which is a giant red turtle. The first act ends with the man mad at the turtle to the point where he ends up killing it, a powerful gesture that is both brutal and terribly sad (for both him and the turtle).
The second act begins with the man doing his best to repent for his misdeeds. He goes as far as to try to revive the obviously dead beast, but ends up doing a bit more harm to the dead animal. Saddened, destroyed, both mentally and physically, the man gives in and waits for death. Of course, death has something else in mind, which turns out to be in the form of a woman, who is born from the death of the red turtle. The man, who is just happy to not only see that the turtle has survived, but ecstatic that another human being is sharing his space, quickly helps the woman recover and then promptly falls deeply in love with her, though hides the fact that he killed her former self (he reveals it later, but is ashamed of his deeds). Moving beyond his sadness, and eventually telling her the truth, the woman eases his pain towards the end by bonding with him. The act wraps up with the birth of their son and the hope for happiness with the new family.
The second act is breathtaking. It really drives home so many human emotions through visuals. Death, life, happiness, sadness, shame — it runs the gambit. It properly treats everything well, even letting the viewer determine why the turtle turns into a woman (so many explanations). It creates beauty from death and shows us the purest form of joy through various actions. It’s quite amazing in its powerful methodical pursuit of posing life’s greatest asset, which is love. I’m not sure you can ask much more from a second act.
The final act introduces a grown-up son and aging parents. The viewers know how this final piece will play out, but the movie throws in unexpected surprises just in case you want more drama. The surprises are violent, yet just as emotion-driven as the previous parts of the film. I won’t say more than that about act three, but just understand that you will cry. My wife cried at this movie and she is a robot (kidding, kidding — but she is).
Overall, The Red Turtle is a masterpiece. It is a shining example of animation that emits humanity’s best and worst moments through its stunning visuals. It creates more emotions than most dramas could ever hope for and it does it with utmost simplicity.
Add this to your collection, Ghibli fans. It’s worth your time and effort.
On the special features side of things, here’s what you’re looking at:
· The Birth of The Red Turtle
· The Secrets of The Red Turtle
· AFI Fest Q&A with Director Michael Dudok de Wit
Not a heckuva lot, but the movie speaks for itself.
