Wildwood review – LAIKA’s stop-motion fantasy is funny, thrilling and unexpectedly confronting, turning a rescue mission into a powerful story about courage, community, grief and belonging.
TV Central attended a complimentary preview screening. No payment was received for this review.
When a murder of crows carries baby Mac into the forbidden wilderness outside Portland, his headstrong older sister Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) refuses to accept that he is gone. She crosses into the Impassable Wilderness with her loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), discovering a secret civilisation of talking animals, bandits and rival factions being pulled towards war.
Stop-Motion Beauty Is An Acquired Taste
Wildwood comes from LAIKA, the studio behind Coraline, and uses the same painstaking stop-motion animation technique. It is also the filmmaking method associated with titles such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, although that earlier film was not made by LAIKA. Physical puppets, costumes and sets are moved and photographed frame by frame, giving the world a handmade texture that ordinary computer animation cannot reproduce.
The achievement is extraordinary, even if the style remains a matter of personal taste. Traditional cartoons announce their unreality, while stop-motion sits in a more unusual space: it reaches for physical realism while every face and movement still feels slightly removed from life. That quality has never completely worked for me, and it created a small barrier between the film and its emotions. Even so, it is impossible not to admire the scale, detail and care in every forest, creature and battle.
This Is Not A Film For Small Children
Animation can create the assumption that a film is automatically aimed at young children. Wildwood quickly overturns that expectation. It carries an Australian M classification for suicide scenes and violence, meaning it is recommended for mature audiences rather than legally restricted to people aged 15 and over. Parents should take that advice seriously.
Some of the large-scale clashes have the intensity of Braveheart or Gladiator translated into stop-motion. Major characters face genuine danger, the story deals directly with war and death, and the consequences are not softened simply because the characters are puppets. Without revealing who survives, the losses carry real emotional weight. That seriousness makes the adventure gripping, but it also explains why the film may be upsetting for viewers expecting a lighter fantasy for children or younger teenagers.
Prue Finds Courage In Community
Beneath the spectacle is a fantastic story. Prue is determined, resourceful and willing to risk everything for the people she loves. She is also recognisably a teenager: a little cheeky and sassy on the surface, yet driven by a generous heart. Her tenacity gives the film momentum as the simple search for Mac expands into a struggle involving the future of the entire forest.
The film is funny without undercutting its danger, and its best sequences create real anxiety for characters who have become easy to care about. Its strongest idea is that courage rarely belongs to one person. Family, friendship and divided communities must find a way to work together towards a common goal. In a world that often feels as though it is pulling apart, that message about hope, humanity and belonging is particularly welcome.
Septima, Curtis’s tiny rat companion voiced by Awkwafina, is the standout. Scruffy, quick-witted and far braver than anyone expects, she supplies some of the movie’s most delightful comic energy. She may be one of the smallest figures in the forest, but she became my favourite character.
A Fantastic Adventure With Real Emotional Weight
Wildwood is an inspiring, edge-of-your-seat fantasy whose adult themes are both its greatest strength and its biggest warning. The visual style will not appeal to everyone, and some of the violence and loss feels stronger than it needed to be. Yet the film earns its emotions through Prue’s determination and its belief that people can find courage through their connections with others.
The TV Central Verdict
Aaron: 7/10
An inspiring and thrilling journey into hope, humanity and belonging, even if stop-motion remains an acquired taste.
Zak: 4/10
A film I liked, but its unexpectedly adult themes, war and painful losses made it much heavier than expected.
Wildwood Official Synopsis
After her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows, teenager Prue McKeel enters an enchanted forest hidden beyond Portland, Oregon, to bring him home. Joined by her classmate Curtis, she encounters talking animals, bandits and powerful figures shaped by grief and ambition. Their rescue mission soon becomes part of a wider conflict threatening the fragile future of Wildwood.
Wildwood Movie Details
- Australian cinema release: 22 October 2026
- Director: Travis Knight
- Screenplay: Chris Butler
- Based on: The novel by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis
- Principal voice cast: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant
- Studio: LAIKA
- Australian distributor: Kismet Movies
- Runtime: 131 minutes
- Australian classification: M – suicide scenes and violence
Watch The Wildwood Official Trailer
The official Kismet Movies page has Australian cinema information, while the Australian Classification page explains the M rating. You can also read our recent Street Fighter review.
Wildwood At Event Cinemas Innaloo
Event Cinemas Innaloo was an excellent home for the preview. There is plenty of parking, several nearby restaurants for anyone making a night of it, and a large candy bar with a broad selection. The cinema was clean, the seats were comfortable and the huge VMAX screen and sound gave the film’s forest and battles the scale they needed.
The event itself was thoughtfully presented. Guests received complimentary popcorn and water, while temporary tattoos, magnetic badges and photo opportunities added a playful sense of occasion before the screening. Those details made the night feel welcoming and showed that the organisers had put on a genuine premiere experience rather than simply opening the auditorium doors.
Wildwood is in Australian cinemas from 22 October 2026.
Follow and tag @kismetmovies, @nrc.agency and @eventinnaloo, using #WildwoodMovie and #LaikaStudios.
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