Brendan is a young monk living in the walled abbey of Kells in Ireland.
His uncle, Cellach (Brendan Gleeson), is the abbot. Cellach, aware of the encroaching
Northmen (Vikings), has put all effort into building walls. Brendan's
heart is not in it. An imaginative boy, his thoughts are a jumble of
intricate designs, strange beasts, and colorful vistas. His poorly
contained imagination is set free by the arrival of Aidan of Iona, a
famed illuminator. Aidan is the caretaker of the Book of Iona, a book
so marvelously illuminated that it is said a sinner would be struck
blind by gazing upon its pages.
Aiden's eyesight is now weak and his hands unsteady; he cannot complete the great book and, unbeknownst to Brendan, chooses the youth as the one to complete the book. Brendan thus goes on a quest into the forest, beyond the safety of Cellach's walls, to acquire the ingredients for ink. There he meets a forest fairy, Aisling. It is hard to determine what exactly she is. She is extremely old though has the look of a prepubescent girl with long white hair. She speaks to animals and has the ability to transform into a wolf. She is very strong and has magical abilities that are unlocked through song.
The story is interesting though a bit clunky. It would have been better had the movie been somewhat longer. Of course, the defining part of the movie is its look. Much of the animation and illustration is based on the Book of Kells, a medieval reproduction of the Gospels. Many of the designs seen in the movie are lifted from the book.
Fun and worth watching.
Aiden's eyesight is now weak and his hands unsteady; he cannot complete the great book and, unbeknownst to Brendan, chooses the youth as the one to complete the book. Brendan thus goes on a quest into the forest, beyond the safety of Cellach's walls, to acquire the ingredients for ink. There he meets a forest fairy, Aisling. It is hard to determine what exactly she is. She is extremely old though has the look of a prepubescent girl with long white hair. She speaks to animals and has the ability to transform into a wolf. She is very strong and has magical abilities that are unlocked through song.
The story is interesting though a bit clunky. It would have been better had the movie been somewhat longer. Of course, the defining part of the movie is its look. Much of the animation and illustration is based on the Book of Kells, a medieval reproduction of the Gospels. Many of the designs seen in the movie are lifted from the book.
Fun and worth watching.
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