MPAA Rating: PG-13/ Genre: Animated Horror Comedy/Voices of: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Lyric Ross, Angela Bassett, James Hong, Ving Rhames, Sam Zelaya, Tamara Smart, Seema Virdi, Ramona Young, Michele Mariana, Natalie Martinez, Tantoo Cardinal, Igal Naor, Gary Gatewood, Gabrielle Dennis, David Harewood, Maxine Peake/Runtime: 105 minutes
Is it just me dear reader or is there something distinct about the genre of movie magic that is stop-mo animation that no other genre seems to possess even an eighth of? I mean it isn’t just that every single frame is one that, in the right hands, could be a picture that you wouldn’t mind framing in your house to show off for years to come though I certainly do feel that is a key component to it. Rather, perhaps the things that really distinguishes this genre is how every slice of cinema that is a part of it, due to being just phenomenally detailed, manages to herald that you are about to view something that is equal parts lively, creative, and delightfully unordinary in the best way possible. Suffice it to say then that if there are icons to be found in this particular genre then I definitely think the name Henry Selick should most assuredly be on if not at the top of that list. For those of you who don’t know who this man is, I can assure you that’s ok because you most likely know the work he has given all of us. You see dear reader, this is the helmer behind three of the most iconic (not to mention personal favorites of yours truly) stop-motion animation films ever made in the forms of Coraline, James and the Giant Peach, and the iconic (and always on in my house at least once every Halloween AND Christmas season incidentally) The Nightmare Before Christmas. Suffice it to say that this is a phenomenal trinity of films to be known for and it is perhaps as a result of their success together and separately that not only has Selick’s skill taken this genre to new and exciting peaks, but also given him such recognition in this distinct genre of movie magic that if he is at the helm of a slice of cinema then you know that you may very well be in for something truly magical. Thankfully, this Halloween season we see that this maestro, working alongside fellow film magician Jordan Peele, has given us a new tale known as Wendell & Wild and honestly, it’s just what the undead doctor ordered. Sure, there may be a few hiccups to be found here and there, but the work behind the camera is phenomenal and the vocal work in front is a genuine delight. As a result, no Wendell & Wild is by no means Selick at his best, but darn it all if it isn’t a wonderfully spooky treat in its own right.
The plot is as follows: A cinematic adaption of a book that Selick penned, but never got published this story gets underway by introducing us to our heroine, a young woman by the name of Kat. Indeed here is a girl whose life may have started out idyllic and picture-perfect, but has since seen her life enter quite the disastrous tailspin. A tailspin that might have been caused by both a heart wrenching accident that saw both her mom and her dad tragically lose their lives, but has since been exacerbated by having to make her way in the world with seemingly no one in her corner that she can go to for the moments when things get hard. Perhaps this is why we soon see that, in the aftermath of her parents’ untimely demise, she wound up being snared by the terrors that can occur when one becomes part of the juvenile justice system. To that end, we see that our story proper begins as our heroine has here recently turned 13 and is now being given another opportunity to redeem herself for her past mistakes. An opportunity that comes courtesy of being dispatched to a religious academy that is based in the town that she spent the happier years of her childhood in. Tragically, we see that, much like the inside of our heroine’s heart, the town and surrounding area has been turned into a desolate landscape and has all but been abandoned due to a mysterious fire annihilating her parents’ legacy that the remaining townsfolk attribute to a nefarious company wanting to take everything over. Yet although this is quite a bit for our heroine to come to grips with, we see that she is able to get by due to experience with consistently putting up walls on the inside so as to keep other people out due to not wanting to be hurt again. Yet while Kat thinks this is helping her, it’s actually doing something else. Namely it’s permitting her to be unknowingly haunted by a scheming demonic brother duo known as Wendell and Wild. A pair of bickering yet loving siblings who for awhile now have been stuck having to tend to their literal giant devil of a father Buffalo Belzer’s scalp as punishment for purportedly trying to start a rebellion against their dear ol’ dad. However, despite things looking down for both the brothers as well as Kat, we see that things start to look up for the former when they discover two things that are rather unusual about the cream they use on their father’s scalp as part of their “punishment”. The first is that the cream can provide them with access to “extracurricular means” that they can then utilize to talk with Kat in quite surreal visions. It is by doing this incidentally that we see that the duo are able to trick our heroine into ensuring that they can escape their father’s demonic grasp, come to the land of the living, and create their very own twistedly delightful amusement park. Oh yes I did say that there was a second rather unusual thing about this cream. Yet after having thought it over I’ve decided that I don’t think I will tell you much about the second thing due to my no spoiler policy. However what I can say about this second item is that it will ultimately prove to be the catalyst that sets the stage for a rather unique adventure. One that will force our heroine to square off against the demons in her life, both internal and literally right in front of her face, in order to not only save the town, but also give herself the chance to ensure that the regret and guilt that are so tightly linked to her past and present don’t become key ingredients of her future as well…..
Now I won’t lie to you dear reader: this slice of cinema may not be even close to the level of terrifying that Coraline turned out to be back in the day, but even with that in mind it should still be noted that this film does have its fair share of spooks and macabre imagery that is all incredibly and vividly brought to life. More than that however, this slice of cinema is one that would not be nearly as potent if it wasn’t of the work done by the creative teams behind the camera in bringing both the world and the characters in this film vividly to life. I mean I’m not kidding dear reader when I say that it may have been a couple of days since I gave this a view, but I can still recall with clarity some of the quite distinct set pieces in this with particular regard to a twisted amusement park that is located in a very interesting place. Suffice it to say that this movie will show you things you have never seen before and there will be multiple moments where you will just want to pause the movie and absorb everything you are seeing on screen before you. Along with that, there are also some truly majestic music-oriented moments that are quite catchy if I’m being honest. Now even though the path this film’s narrative goes down is one that I will leave for you to discover on your own, I will say that it is obvious that Peele definitely had a hand in it and trust me when I say that this slice of cinema definitely benefits from that. However, if there are any of you out there who may find your feathers getting a bit ruffled by the themes that this narrative operates with then I implore you to please take a second to ponder why this is crucial to the story being told. Now I can’t lie: the odyssey of rebuilding after it feels like you have lost everything can be a difficult pill to swallow yet it is this pill that this slice of cinema is willing to deliver to audiences. However, if you are worried this whole cinematic affair is going to get a bit too doom and gloom for your liking, then you will be delighted to know that it does manages to succeed at being a film that is both boisterous and contemplative at the same time. Indeed, if there are really any issues that I have with this slice of cinema it would be the fact that this film’s narrative does have some issues in constructing and then keeping its momentum going at a decent pace especially when seeing there are some points where the film does kind of get stuck. Sure, the movie does make their way through these points, but nevertheless they do result in some scenes that give the vibe of being a bit….off in certain aspects. Even with that in mind though, there is no denying that the potent and fairly emotional way this slice of cinema chooses to wrap things up does result in that aforementioned fluke becoming a miniscule issue in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, the other big positive working in this slice of cinema’s favor would have to be the talented cast of players lending their voices to it. Yes, the lead character of Kat, as voiced by relative newcomer Lyric Ross, can initially seem a bit too abrasive to really want to follow for the duration of this film. However, as the film goes along and more and more layers to the character are unraveled, Ross manages to overcome this initial impression and give us a wonderful performance in the role of this young woman who may be abrasive and guarded, but this is also because she is someone who has let her life be defined by her past and finds that to save her present and future, she must come to terms with it no matter how painful it may be. I also really did enjoy the work in this by the iconic actress Angela Bassett in the role of the enigmatic yet dedicated Sister Helley even though it does feel in a lot of ways like this character is very much the same authority figure that audiences have seen Bassett play before in such live action cinematic efforts as Gunpowder Milkshake and the first two Olympus Has Fallen movies. Props should also be given to this slice of cinema for managing to get another terrific vocal performance out of screen icon James Hong in the role of the more than slightly slimy Father Bests as well as Ving Rhames whose deep booming voice is a perfect fit for the role of Buffalo Belzer (even if there were moments where I half-expected him to make an Arby’s joke). More than anything though, and perhaps one of the key elements that has garnered a lot of attention about this film, is the fact that it has made possible a vocal performance reunion of one of the most famous comedy partnerships of the past 2-3 decades in the form of Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele as the titular demon duo. With that in mind though, it should come as no surprise to learn that the two are absolutely fantastic. Indeed Key & Peele do a wonderful job in this at managing to be both looney as well as macabre in equal measure in such a way that it feels like someone took the inner decency of Jack Skellington and the delightedly sadistic nature of Oogie Boogie and mashed them together. As a result, don’t be surprised if the duo has you rolling in your seat and your stomach churning in equal measure. Suffice it to say that the work done in front of the camera is no more and no less than an absolute joy to behold.
All in all is Wendell & Wild on the same level as 2009’s Coraline? I’m sorry to say this, but sadly no. At the same time that should also be enough to tell you that this is not on the same level as The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, does that mean this slice of cinema is a creative mess? Absolutely not. Not even close. Indeed yes this slice of cinema may have its fair share of issues, but they are also ones that can be overlooked by all the positives that this film has on display as well. Suffice it to say that the vocal performances done in front of the camera are top-notch and the work done by the various departments in front of the camera are no more and no less than pure movie magic at its finest. More than all of that however, I think it can also be said that what Selick and Peele have managed to bring all of us with this is a cinematic product that I suspect only this pair could even aspire to pull off. By that I don’t just mean a slice of cinema that possesses an equal amount of emotion and gallows comedy that should be able to delight both those of you out there who have long held a torch in your heart for horror cinema as well as the younger movie goers out there amongst you who are now ready to take your first steps into the pond of horror cinema. Rather, I mean that this is a slice of cinema that I want to see again soon due to the fact that there honestly isn’t another movie quite like this one out there. Suffice it to say that if that doesn’t say anything about how much I enjoyed this film then I honestly don’t know what would. Make of that dear reader what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Wendell & Wild “2022” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
