Reviews are in, and they're mostly pleased with the Red Turtle
Usually the film that has standing ovation at Cannes will be follow by a batch of good reviews, and the Red Turtle is one of them.
Very Positive Reviews
The Hollywood News 5/5 By Paul Heath
This stunning animated film doesn't put a foot wrong. Glorious in every way from its supreme storytelling, wonderful animation and emotional punch. Just perfect.
Cinema Em Cena 5/5 By Pablo Villaça (Brazillian)
This animation is superb and deeply poetic, visually exciting.
IndieWire A+ By Eric Kohn
This is a quiet little masterpiece of images, each one rich with meaning, that collectively speak to a universal process.
Concorto Film Fest ++
The Red Turtle is a poetic tale about life, love and nature. One of the best movies we've seen at Cannes 2016.
AwardsCampaign ++ By Gregory Ellwood
The Red Turtle is a beautifully animated circle of life film with a dash of magical realism.
Sight & Sound ++ By Isabel Stevens
Studio Ghibli’s first international coproduction is a ravishing castaway fable that combines beauty, mystery, drama and heartbreak – with not a word spoken.
International Cinephile Society ++ By Marc van de Klashorst
This is what perfection looks like. Mesmerizing poem about the cycle of life and man’s relation with nature.
Variety ++ By Peter Debruge
A fable so simple, so pure, it feels as if it has existed for hundreds of years, like a brilliant shard of sea glass rendered smooth and elegant through generations of retelling.
TwitchFilm ++ By Ryland Aldrich
Audiences will soon get to experience the masterpiece that is The Red Turtle over and over. Just one tip: don't forget to bring your tissues.
ScreenDaily ++ By Lisa Nesselson
This is, quite simply, thoughtful and ultimately moving animation at its best.
Kino-Zeit ++ By Beatrice Behn (German)
What externally appears very spectacular, inside is a deep and profound celebration of life and nature.
FirstShowing 9/10 By Alex Billington
It's so simple yet so beautiful; I honestly was moved to tears by a few scenes.
Positive Reviews
The Film Stage B+ By Rory O'Connor
Liking or loving — or perhaps even hating — The Red Turtle will come down to whether on not the viewer can accept it. It’s always beautiful to witness, nonetheless.
Quinlan 8.5/10 By Enrico Azzano (Italian)
The Red Turtle is a story that has no beginning and no end, is the cycle of life, art cycle and creativity. It is the art to be a miracle.
The Hollywood Reporter + By Jordan Mintzer
A simplistic if beautifully rendered tale of island abandon.
The Associated Press + By Jake Coyle
The Red Turtle is hypnotic in its near-wordlessness meditation. It's a magical fable in which a shipwrecked man ruminates on life from a tropical island.
Ken Adams +
The Red Turtle certainly is bliss. Heightened feels through what are very sparse but poetic functions.
Independent 4/5 By Kaleem Aftab
Michaël Dudok de Wit has achieved the remarkable feat in The Red Turtle. The animation is supreme.
FlickReel 4/5 By Craig Skinner
You will still be mulling over the film’s many layers long after the credits have ended and Laurent Perez’ stunning and luscious score has been silenced.
The Irish Times 4/5 By Tara Brady
Studio Ghibli makes a stylish return. Nerve-wrecking action and a castaway story make for a thrilling, fresh creation.
The Telegraph 4/5 By Robbie Collin
Dudok de Wit’s compassionate, wistfully beautiful film reminds you that the net output of the nature machine is always life.
One Room With A View 4/5 By Nick Evan-Cook
A simple fable of deep spirituality and quiet profundity.
Tyler's Takes 4/5 By Tyler Lee
What it can show us without telling us is very impressive. It is beautifully if simply rendered.
Jason Watches Movies 3.5/5 By Jason Ooi
The Red Turtle is so beautiful gah. wonderfully scored - sympathetic characters that don't say a word.
Neutral Reviews
SceneCreek 3/5 By Matt Hoffman
Admired the animation more than the story itself. It's a beautiful looking film but the story kind of falls apart.
Little White Lies 3/5 By David Jenkins
Splash meets Cannibal Holocaust meets the Book of Genesis. A marvel of artisan craft, but not really my thing.
Zack Ross 3/5
This film is beautiful but does nothing. Maybe I'm just not a fan of turtle sex.
Casey Pegram 3/5
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Negative Reviews
Flamenca Stone 2.5/5
Nobody knows what to think of the soundtrack to The Red Turtle, but clearly it is essential to the concept of the movie.
Filmmaker Magazine 2.5/5 By Blake Williams
Turtle, then, is impressive as a technical achievement but it feels merely “creative” as an artistic expression.
FilmLand Empire 2.5/5 By Laurent de Alberti
Undeniably beautiful, great score, but the simple story doesn't carry as much emotional weight as it could have
The Upcoming 2/5 By Joseph Owen
Such a story has something to say about human nature and the passage of time. It is a shame this film barely bothers to articulate it.
Average score of 8, look like an Oscar contender to me, only if Sony decide to release in LA this year.