Raise your hand if you’ve seen the 1946 western “Duel in the Sun.” If you haven’t, don’t be in a hurry to add it to your watchlist: There’s a reason it hasn’t earned a place of distinction among movie buffs. But, “Duel in the Sun” was the highest-grossing film of 1946, beating out contenders such as Paramount’s “Blue Skies,” Warner Brothers’ “Saratoga Trunk,” and MGM’s “Till the Clouds Roll By.” Wait — those don’t sound familiar either? They’re all in the top 10 for 1946.
Here’s a film from 1946 you’ve probably seen: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the American Christmas fantasy directed by Frank Capra. How did that film fare at the box office? It didn’t even make the top 25. The film didn’t attain its status as a beloved classic until it entered into the public domain in 1974, allowing it to be broadcast on television stations without licensing fees.
It’s not always the blockbusters that become ensconced as staples of cinema — or added to our personal video libraries as favorite comfort movies.
A film like “Wildwood” faces a difficult path in an industry obsessed with profitability and maximizing returns for investors and shareholders. Directed by Travis Knight, the stop-motion animated epic fantasy hit theaters on Oct. 23, with Fathom Entertainment handling distribution in the United States. With a production budget of $100 million or more, reaching the break-even threshold seems like a Sisyphean undertaking. While “Wildwood” may struggle to fill seats at the local theaters during its initial run, it will likely earn much acclaim, both from critics and audience members. Moreover, I predict that 20 years from now, it will be cherished by Gen Z, just as films like “The NeverEnding Story,” “Legend,” and “Excalibur” are treasured by the Gen X crowd today.
“Wildwood” juxtaposes somber, mature themes with stunning handcrafted stop-motion animation. It is an undeniable masterpiece of cinematic art. It is unapologetically intense and melancholy, exploring profound thematic material. The PG-13 rating is warranted: The film opens with a depiction of suicide, which is more fully clarified much later in the narrative. Violence, blood and death are pervasive. The characters constantly face Grimm’s fairy tale level brutality, with the constant threat of visceral danger.
According to Fathom, “Wildwood” is a handcrafted epic fantasy that transports audiences into a secret, dangerously alive world. Portland teen Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) is left in charge of her little brother Mac (Arthur Knight). Her parents (Jake Johnson and Maya Erskine) instruct Prue not to leave the house after her father delivers what is apparently a near daily warning on the dangers of the nearby forest — also known as the Impassable Wilderness. Prue, being a teenager, verbally agrees to the stipulation, and then disobeys her parents as soon as they’re out of sight.
Her subsequent trip across Portland is filled with a string of almost-accidents, highlighting Prue’s lack of responsibility. She encounters Curtis (Jacob Tremblay), a gawky but benevolent classmate desperate to befriend Prue, who follows them to a playground. There, Mac is abducted by a murder of crows, forcing Prue to give chase and eventually enter the Impassable Wilderness, with Curtis in tow.
Prue’s frantic quest to save her baby brother is set against a detailed, visually stunning fantasy landscape. This forbidden forest is populated by enchanted creatures, engaging allies, and fearsome adversaries. It doesn’t take long before the viewer recognizes the high stakes: Some of those endearing side characters die, rather shockingly.
Admittedly, there are some familiar tropes at play in “Wildwood.” Viewers may be reminded of the plot of the 1986 film “Labyrinth,” in which 16-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) recklessly wishes away her baby half-brother Toby (Toby Froud), who is abducted by the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie). When Curtis is momentarily charmed by the tale’s antagonist, the dowager governess Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), the scene recalls the White Witch of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” who manipulates Edmund Pevensie. In the film’s final act, I am fairly certain I counted five separate armies — if one includes those petulant crows.
The world-building in “Wildwood” is particularly noteworthy, with several distinct governing territories and factions vying for power. The realm is rife with corruption and malfeasance. There are examples of systemic abuse, cyclic violence and social alienation.
“Wildwood” is not the standard animated fantasy film. It is no sanitized Disney re-imaging of a centuries-old fairy tale. Instead of offering a softened plot lacking any genuine trauma or violence, “Wildwood” leans into the graphic violence, the horrors of war, and the reality of moral ambiguity.
The characters in “Wildwood” are not infallible. They engage in selfish decisions to suit their personal agenda. This is true of the antagonist who is driven by grief to commit atrocities, but it is also true of Prue and her parents. Sometimes, the good guys aren’t perfect. They exhibit hubris. They make mistakes, like we all do.
“Wildwood” is a masterpiece of human-crafted artistry and cinematic storytelling. Be mindful of the PG-13 rating: It’s not for little ones. For everyone else, it’s worth seeing it in the theater — if only to be able to say that you did 20 years from now when it has become a cherished classic.
Lee Clark Zumpe is entertainment editor at Tampa Bay Newspapers, a Tomatometer-Approved Critic, and an author of short fiction. He can be reached by email at lzumpe@TBNweekly.com.