From the creators of the Academy Award®-nominated “The Secret of Kells” comes a breathtakingly gorgeous, hand-drawn masterpiece. Based on the Irish legend of the Selkies, “Song of the Sea” tells the story of the last seal-child, Saoirse, and her brother Ben, who go on an epic journey to save the world of magic and discover the secrets of their past. Pursued by the owl witch, Macha, and a host of ancient and mystical creatures, Saoirse and Ben race against time to awaken Saoirse’s powers and keep the spirit world from disappearing forever. As enthralling for adults as for children young and old, “Song of the Sea” is a wonder of magical storytelling and visual splendor that is destined to become a classic. “Song of the Sea” features the voices of Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan, David Rawle, Lisa Hannigan, Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny. Music is by composer Bruno Coulais and Irish band Kíla, both of whom previously collaborated on “The Secret of Kells.”
Very, very worthy of its Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, Song of the Sea is a whimsical and enchanting story that’s impressive in artistic scope considering this is a hand drawn feature! They don’t make them like this anymore. With an Irish setting and unique style of animation, Song of the Sea provides viewers with a spellbinding experience of Celtic folklore in the context of a wonderful tale of sibling bonding. The characters go on a splendid journey maturing as they embark on this brand new adventure discovering things about themselves and family past. Viewers discover the alluring characteristics of old fashioned Irish tales.
My favorite thing about Song of the Sea is the gorgeous hand drawn animation. Considering our digital era, it was refreshing to watch an old-fashioned animated feature that I’m familiar during my childhood when I’d watch Disney movies. This is a healthy alternative to Pixar which has recently focused more on global branding than emotionally engaging storytelling. Likewise, the story was just as gripping as some of the year’s best movies should be. I cared about the characters and was captivated by the plot. Director Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells) crafts another stunning achievement in animation. I couldn’t take my eyes off this. I want more animated movies to be made this way. There is alot of potential in Tomm Moore as a filmmaker considering this is his second movie!
I rate Song of the Sea an 8 out of 10.