On the 14th of November 2024, me and my family (parents and siblings) went to the cinema for the ‘Into Film Festival 2024’ to watch ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ (2023) based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo (1999). It was adapted by Lupus Films and directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry.

The film follows Michaels (Aaron MacGregor) adventure, a young boy aged 10, when he firsts sets off with his family on an exciting sailing trip around the world but that excitement soon turns to horror when a terrifying storm emerges and Michael and his dog, Stella, (who he snuck on the boat) are swept overboard after his futile attempt to bring her into the living quarters. They are then washed up on a remote island where everything is unfamiliar and they struggle to survive. They thought they were alone until a Japanese man, Kensuke, (Ken Watanabe) is discovered and together they protect the island from dangers. The film represents a journey of new friends, survival and how they adapt to live on the island. I liked this overall plot as it kept me interested but Michael was frustrating at times when he didn’t listen to the adults and acted on rebellion and impulse.

‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ was rated a PG (parental guidance) but I believe the viewers should be 6+ (and most of them were). Even though it is an animated film that look appealing to younger audiences, there are a couple upsetting scenes that could make younger viewers distressed.

Firstly, I would like to discuss the animation of the film. The overall quality of the animation was fantastic and it clearly expressed the characters emotions well through expressions, gestures, and body language. The backgrounds were so beautiful as they looked like paintings. I particularly liked them because they looked ethereal and magical which made it really easy to watch and enjoy. The animation flickers between 2D and 3D (Two dimensional and three dimensional) animation and in my opinion, it made it look odd at times. The characters are 2D and so are most of the backgrounds but the sea was 3D animated. I disliked this feature because at the start, it zoomed out, showing the landscape of the sea but then you see the 2D boat on the water and this makes it look very weird because it looks flat on the water like paper. It also showed under the water as well as above it which looked cool but again, it was weird for me.

Now, in this film, there are a lot of deep meanings and morals. There are themes of anti-war and a mutual respect for nature through the viewer that carries on through the whole film. New friendship is developed and it has a strong impact on the audience as we follow Michael through his story and we realise and learn that friends do not always need to agree on everything and should learn to forgive each other. It’s a wonderful story of loneliness, loss and friendship as Kensuke helps Michael find his family again and it’s deeply moving that two people who speak a different language from the other can develop a bond that strong and powerful.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the adaptation of ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ at Cineworld. The creative and emotional impacts were thought through thoroughly and they kept it interesting and kept us on our toes to an admirable amount. Due no not reading the book, I went into this with a clear mind and it was outstanding. I am definitely reading the book now to see how different it is. I would 100% recommend this to people my age, older and younger individuals who are interested in a cartoon type film with deep meanings. Despite my minor issues with the film, I rate this adaptation 5 stars!