‘Wendell & Wild’ Is Our New Happy Place [Review]
Wendell & Wild is Monkeypaw’s first foray into media aimed at children. While we were all excited to see what this would look like, a few of us wondered how they would take the expectations they’ve set in this new direction. Luckily, Wendell & Wild manages to hit most of the notes we have come to expect when we show up for this production company.
First, let’s celebrate Kat (Lyric Ross). I don’t know if we’ve ever had a Black girl-led stop-motion movie. Especially, a Black girl with green hair and a flair for the alternative scene. This is a specific demographic of Black girls that are forever ignored, even though we are literally everywhere. I see so many of my friends, and parts of myself, in this character. I also love that she makes smart choices as she steps into her power.
Most of us know Ross from her run on This Is Us. She played a different kid who got dealt a shitty hand but persevered on that show. However, she wins us over even faster in this film as she explores all of the nuance afforded to her character. This is no small feat considering the talent she’s surrounded by when looking at this cast list. She holds her own and gives us a character I wish I had when I was younger.
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Kat is tricked into summoning two demons, the demon brothers, Wendell (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Jordan Peele). Wendell and Wild will probably be big hits with the kids and parents. Kids are going to laugh at the ridiculousness of the demon brothers. Meanwhile, parents are going to remember all of the hours spent watching Key & Peele. I’m happy to report that a new medium, and a few years away from our screens, hasn’t stopped them from being one of the best duos. I found myself laughing harder than I should have while also being a little grossed out.
I found myself laughing out loud and wondering how the smallest bit can be so funny. This was refreshing because Wendell & Wild is a PG-13 movie. So, I was worried about how the humor would translate into something for the youth. It worked, and I found myself wanting more. We are drowning in sequels, but I would show up to see another Wendell & Wild adventure.
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As a kid of the 90s, I’ve seen my fair share of old stop-motion Christmas specials and The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, the lack of musical numbers isn’t the only thing separating Wendell & Wild from its predecessors. The characters are diverse and cast appropriately, which is still an ongoing oversight for most animated films andshows. Yeah, they had most of us at Peele, Key, Angela Bassett, and Ving Rhames. But we also get Sam Zelaya, Natalie Martinez, James Hong, and Tantoo Cardinal rounding out a world of characters more realistic than any 90% of the animated movies I have sat through during my lifetime. I think it’s important for kids to see POC, and especially Trans POC, characters in these worlds that are usually reserved for suburban white kids. The usual narrative excludes most youngsters, and the results are damaging, to say the least.
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Another thing I love about Wendell & Wild is that it doesn’t talk down to kids. The movie is aware that kids are smarter than we treat them. It doesn’t spoon-feed them the thesis or stop after the basic lessons most children’s movies cover. Yes, you’re going to get your friendships, feeling your feelings, and good over evil messaging. But it sets its sights on a bigger issue, as well. I’m not allowed to spoil that, but I’m excited that a younger generation will be thinking about this and hopefully talking to their parents about it. I don’t have or want children. But I believe empathy and community need to be instilled early if we want future generations to avoid some of the shit we’re dealing with right now.
There are a couple of moments where pacing is an issue, but director and co-writer Henry Selick and this team of animators pull off a massive feat. Wendell & Wild is a laugh-out-loud bewitching ride. I think it’s required Halloween season viewing.
Let me know if you’ve seen Wendell & Wild and what you think at @misssharai.
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Wendell & Wild
Summary
It’s the fun, smart, magic-packed ride for everyone that we never got when we were kids. It’s a good time and possibly the most creative PG-13 movie in a very long time.
