Kensuke’s Kingdom

***1/2

Reviewed by: Jennie Kermode

Kensuke’s Kingdom
"There’s plenty for thoughtful children to engage with."

In a year full of innovative animated films, Kensuke’s Kingdom, adapted from the popular children’s book by Michael Morpurgo, stands out for its old fashioned story and style. It’s the tale of a boy who is shipwrecked on an island following a storm, all alone except for Stella, the dog he smuggled along on a family trip. Struggling to survive on his own, he attracts the attention of another castaway who has been there a lot longer, gradually winning his trust and, in the process, access to an amazing hidden world.

The film has been heavily promoted on the basis that it stars Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy, but that’s rather misleading. Voicing the boy’s father, he gets only a very few scenes, and has the decency not to try to steal the limelight. The film is all about the boy, Michael, based on the author himself, played by Aaron MacGregor; and, at more of a remove, Kensuke, who is skilfully brought to life by the veteran Ken Watanabe. It’s told from a child’s perspective, but with a coming-of-age arc, as Michael, whose impetuousness and disinclination to listen got him into trouble in the first place, learns the importance of responsibility and environmental stewardship.

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Caring for the environment and learning to interact safely and appropriately with wild animals makes up a large part of the story, which also addresses some of the way in which animals are mistreated by other people. There are scenes there that might be frightening for very young children and unsettling for older ones, but nothing so explicit that it should present a problem to parents who are willing to have the important conversations straight away. Thematically, it also tackles grief and the way that difficult emotions can be managed through positive action.

Separated not just by age but by cultural background, the two main characters have a lot to learn about each other, and Michael, in particular, needs to get over his hang-ups and try different things. This is gently handled and for the most part it feels organic, a natural extension of the day to day challenges they face. Michael is enthralled by world that Kensuke has created, including a sprawling treehouse, and there are many moments of wonder as he explores the forest and encounters different animals. He’s not altogether mature enough to understand Kensuke’s troubles, but the film is clever enough to let viewers see what he misses.

The simple animation, naturalistic colour choices and boy’s own adventure narrative may make Kensuke’s Kingdom a hard sell to some young viewers – though it is undoubtedly beautiful in places – but there’s plenty for thoughtful children to engage with. More gently paced than most of its contemporaries, it makes quite a few changes to the original story but remains true to the spirit of the book.

Reviewed on: 19 Jan 2025
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Kensuke’s Kingdom packshot
A boy marooned on a desert island with his dog discovers another castaway and a whole new perspective on life.

Director: Neil Boyle, Kirk Hendry

Writer: Frank Cottrell Boyce, based on the book by Michael Morpurgo

Starring: Aaron MacGregor, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Sally Hawkins

Year: 2023

Runtime: 75 minutes

Country: UK, Luxembourg, France, US

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