Disturbing, mostly violent, dark, spooky, use of rude language and very few redeeming qualities, the animated film Wolfy, The Incredible Secret is NOT for kids. The foreign made movie from France does a fair job aesthetically, provides some adventure yet loses the moral values that most animated family films in the United States are a mainstay. This is not Disney folks! And due to the elementary story should not even appeal to those that fit into the coming of age audience of over 13.
The story begins with Wolfy and Tom, a rabbit, fishing from a boat on a lazy day anchored in the river. The two have fallen fast asleep when the fish cut their line and the boat floats downstream. The boat bumps ashore and Wolfy gets hypnotized by a strange melody that he follows to a witch’s wagon in the woods. The raven witch Cornelia entices him inside and tells him he must take a trip to Wolfenberg to find his mother and his true identity.
Not understanding, but being dutiful to the witch’s reading Wolfy and Tom travel high atop a mountain to the city of Wolenberg. There they start their adventure of finding his family and his true purpose in life. Director Éric Omond introduces his main characters early on including the evil Prince of Wolfenberg, an elder wolf who reigns with an iron fist over the land commanding his nasty guards and a bulldog for a butler. Although the wolves, crocodiles and weasels are very creepy, the other animals are depicted much like most American anime, softer lines and friendlier looking. The characters provide the story within the medieval city and a tribute to Omond that most all have a personality all their own.
Emmanuel Solotareff’s book gets created for the screen with high intensity. Omond’s animated scary images of wolves and bears are very violent in their actions and are not what American children are used to. Even Solotareff’s coming of age story becomes askew for youngsters when a sexy fox named Scarlet shows up at the castle. A walk around the castle with Wolfy and Tom shows paintings on the wall of naked women and later mounted heads of nearly every forest animal; that’s certainly not family fare. I can go on and on about the disgusting banquet that the Prince offers up just before Carney Festival (the carnivore’s Grand Hunt). It’s a repulsive feast where the Long Fangs slobber over pig snouts, sheep heads, drink does’ blood from wine glasses and gobble down live canaries for desert. Need I go on?
While I did like the voice cast, the bright colored flat animation and the theme of going back to your roots to find who you really are, the production fails to meet minimal standards for a family (much less kids) animated film. In comparison our filmmakers are more family friendly, not pushing the envelope this far over the edge. That said, the film does have the qualities of self-sacrifice and friendship.
Wolfy, The Incredible Secret has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains strong violence, rude language, drinking blood, suggestive comments, and brutality. The Long Fangs stalk their prey and there’s ominous music throughout. The wolves get devoured by flesh eating plants.
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Malik Zidi, Stéphane Debac, Anaïs Demoustier, Paul Bandey, Carlo Brandt
Director: Éric Omond
Written by: Emmanuel Solotareff
Screenplay by: Grégoire Solotareff, Jean-Luc Fromental,
MPAA Rating: No Rated
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family
Running Time: 80 min
Original Theatrical Release Date: December 13, 2013 (France)
Video Release Date: March 17, 2015
Language: English
Format: DVD
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Widescreen 16×9 Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
Subtitles: CC only
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Distributed by: Random Media
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
