Wendall & Wild: This Generations Coraline?

Wendall & Wild is a new creepy stop-motion animation movie to add to the collection of beloved Halloween classics next to The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride. Written and directed by Henry Selick, who is well-known for his part in writing and directing the cult classic stop-motion animation film Coraline.  

Wendall & Wild is about a young girl named Kat (voiced by Lyric Ross) who loses her parents in a tragic accident that sets off an unfortunate chain of events leading Kat to be enrolled at an all-girls Catholic school in her hometown of Rust Bank. Much to her dismay, Rust Bank is a ghost town after a mysterious fire killed a majority of the townsfolk and is now claimed by a money-hungry corporation. Deep beneath the ground, in the underworld, a giant demon lord named Buffalo Belzer (voiced by Ving Rhames) hosts a carnival faire for the undead while his two demon sons – Wendall (voiced by Jordan Peele) and Wild (voiced by Keegan Michael Key)— spend their lives putting rejuvenating hair cream on the balding demon lord’s head. They see an escape when they receive a vision of a girl called a ‘hell maiden’ who can summon them to the human world, where they can live out their dream of building their own amusement park. Chaos ensues, and all does not go according to plan. 

Originally said to be released in 2021,  being pushed to 2022, Wendall & Wild was certainly worth the wait. Creative character, designs, and smooth animation makes viewers forget that the film is stop motion, while still maintaining that aspect of nostalgia for those who loved Coraline and The Corpse Bride. The cast of characters is pleasantly diverse, with people of many races,  ethnicities, sexualities, and gender identities,  broadening the range of characters that are usually seen in stop motion animation movies or even film in general at this time.  

The music does a great job immersing the audience into the creepy world, while also being lighthearted at the more comedic parts and heartwarming at the sentimental parts. The soundtrack also features several punk artists to fit Kat’s rebel, punk style.  

Even though the movie was very well received aesthetically, there was much to be desired plot-wise. The potential of the story was there, but it felt rushed and scattered, leaving several plotlines introduced, but left without a satisfying ending or a smooth tie-in to the main story. The ending felt unsatisfactory due to how rushed it felt and how it mashed together all the loose ends of the plot before the movie ended. Characters and backstories were introduced much too late in the movie, which made interactions feel insincere and uncomfortably rushed, leaving viewers confused. While the film is flawed in its storytelling, it was still an enjoyable watch.  

The voice acting talents of James Hong (voice of Father Best), Angela Bassett (Voice of Sister Helley), and many other members of the cast make the characters lovable and easy to get attached to despite some of the questionable morals and values that some of the characters display.  

Overall, Wendall & Wild is a fun film to watch when you’re craving a creepy movie.