Critical reflection on the animated film Red Turtle
The animated film Red Turtle, directed by Michael Dudok De Wit, portrays a man’s struggles for survival on an island rich with food, animal and plant life, his attempts to leave which are thwarted by the red turtle which then transform into a woman with whom he has a developing bond.
His inability to travel off the island, due to the actions of the turtle symbolise how our actions are affected by others and how one should consider the actions and significance of ones’ actions. His overall dream like disoriented episodes, such as the imagining of musicians on the beach, further underscore the sense of entrapment and yearning for connection with humanity.
The 2D animation style and contemplative music fittingly presents the flowing and mystique state of the water and island. The use of the colour and black and white/sepia effectively conveys the contrasting nature of the dream like night-time imaginings and daytime realities of life on the island for the main character. I appreciated the silent nature of the animation since I consider it important that the means of storytelling is visual rather than overly relying on dialogue.
Furthermore, the animation predominantly uses wide or medium shots which aids in creating a sense of the atmosphere and ambiance of the setting and thus draw out attention to the fact that the main character’s challenges lie with the setting — the island environment and characters that inhabit it — rather than a deep personal internal struggle