The film follows the story of Kat, who loses her parents at the young age of eight and faces the traumas of the foster system before she is relocated to a school in her home town. Once there, the now teenage Kat realises she is a hell maiden. Her demons, Wendell and Wild, convince her to raise them up to the land of the living. In return, they promise to bring her parents back from the dead, a promise they don’t have the power to fulfil. Of course, havoc ensues.
Wendell and Wild is a horror comedy that is perfect for kids. The animation is classic and the fear factor is down.
The titular demons are less spooky and more like a comedic duo from one of Shakespeare’s plays. Nonetheless, they are immensely entertaining and a perfect foil for Kat’s moody disposition. The antagonists too are satisfyingly dislikeable but not particularly scary.
The story tackles some big ideas, taking a critical look at private prisons, the foster care system and corporations. And all of it intertwined within the context of mental health and inner demons. There are a number of diverse characters too, from a trans boy to a policewoman in a hijab. The rest of Hollywood should take notes on how to show diversity without being preachy. ..
This ambition is to provide a platform for young people to explore these topics in a way that is both informative and entertaining. It doesn’t always go into the grey areas of these subjects, but it does enough to acclimate its audience to such topics and even encourages them to ask questions.
The film’s visuals are stunning and manage to keep the viewer engaged throughout. The stop-motion animation has director Henry Selick’s signature charm and lends the film a three-dimensional feel - you can feel and touch without any need for 3D glasses. Each character has a distinct feel and each location is intricately detailed. The plot and visuals work well together to combine the figurative ideas of mental health and capitalism with literal demons.
The movie is good, but it could use some work on its narrative. The screenplay isn’t always able to keep the story moving and the ending feels a bit rushed. The world the movie creates is terrific, but it could use more exposition to make it more clear what’s going on. There are mysterious devices and terms like blood-binding that needed more explanation than was given.
This movie is perfect for a movie night with the kids. The plot rushes along quickly and the visuals and music are vibrant, making it easy to forget the flaws. Overall, this is a great movie to watch.
Wendell and Wild ended on a sour note when Wendell accused Wild of cheating during their final challenge. The two were unable to come to an agreement and the show ended with a cliffhanger. Wendell and Wild’s relationship came to an end when Wendell accused Wild of cheating during their final challenge. The two were unable to come to an agreement and the show ended with a cliffhanger. ..
