--- title: "Song of the Sea: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Song of the Sea (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 20 reviews: 20 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. All twenty reviews are positive, and they agree on why. The praise clusters on the hand-drawn animation: watercolour backgrounds, misty pastel frames, a design that takes its shapes from Irish folklore. Several critics welcome it as an alternative to computer animation, and most compare it to Studio Ghibli, usually as a compliment. The score is singled out almost as often. Beyond the look, critics keep returning to the grief under the fairy tale, and to the bond between a resentful older brother and his sister. The reservations, such as they are, concern the story. RogerEbert.com finds the narrative formulaic and borrowed from other fairy tales; Sight and Sound calls it derivative of Ghibli and of The Secret of Kells; the Evening Standard thinks it blander than that earlier film. Consequence notes thin adult characters and mythic rules that are hard to follow, and The Wrap finds the plot dense and short on explanation. The spread is narrow, from good to very good, with nobody in outright dissent. ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2015. The critic hails it as a visually stunning masterwork that immerses viewers in an enchanted world blending Irish myth with everyday life. Special praise is given to the gorgeous watercolor backdrops, the melodic score, and the graceful emotional resonance about wonder and loss. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-song-of-the-sea-review-20150109-column.html) ## IndieWire — Charles Solomon Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2014. The critic finds the film a visually stunning and emotionally moving animated feature that builds on the director's previous work with rich Irish mythology and expressive animation. It highlights the heartfelt story of family, loss, and sibling bonds as a key strength. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-song-of-the-sea-123759/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2015. This is a superb Irish animation and enchanting, very moving family film rooted in folklore, with selkies, giants and faeries. The gorgeous painterly animation recalls Studio Ghibli while maintaining the director's own distinctive style. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/12/song-of-the-sea-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Boyd van Hoeij Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 September 2014. Festival review. The review praises the film's hand-drawn 2D animation and watercolor backgrounds as a refreshing alternative to CGI, calling it visually gorgeous and emotionally resonant despite a familiar story. It singles out the score and the way Irish folklore is woven into the narrative for particular acclaim. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/song-sea-toronto-review-732446/) ## The New York Times — Jeannette Catsoulis Rating Critic's Pick. 19 December 2014. The review describes a delicate, painterly animated fable about selkies and the power of music that moves from pain and loss to contentment and love. It singles out the misty pastel hand-drawn frames and the way the story honors Celtic folklore while feeling intimate and purposeful. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/19/movies/song-of-the-sea-an-animated-fable-from-tomm-moore.html) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2014. Festival review. The review praises the follow-up to The Secret of Kells for its dazzling hand-drawn visuals rooted in Irish legend and its ethereal musical score. It notes the rich yet subdued design and the poignant, unconventional happy ending that distinguishes Moore's storytelling. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/film/festivals/film-review-song-of-the-sea-1201310423/) ## Empire — Will Lawrence Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 3 June 2015. The critic praises the film's visual beauty, intricate animation, and emotional depth in exploring folklore and emotions, noting it as a worthy follow-up to The Secret of Kells with some wandering in the story but an enchanting end. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/song-sea-review/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/4/4. 10 July 2015. The critic hails the film as a stunning, handmade work that enters a child's mindset with magical visual splendour and playful humour, confirming Moore as an animation heavyweight. It singles out the energetic articulation of grief, memory, self-expression and family dynamics through fantastical imagery without being preachy. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/song-of-the-sea) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 6 July 2015. The critic calls it an enchanting, gorgeously drawn Irish animation that mixes heartbreaking family drama with folklore's mystery and wonder. It singles out the dazzling craft, sensitive soul and charming fantasy elements that offset real-world grief, making it perfect for kids and seductive to adults. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/song-of-the-sea) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 2015. Praises the astounding beauty of the hand-drawn animation and the magical tale, though notes it's slightly blander than the director's previous film, but still enchanting for fans of subtle animation. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/song-of-the-sea-film-review-a-magical-tale-to-rival-the-best-of-pixar-10379932.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Simon Abrams Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2014. The critic calls the film visually splendid but notes its formulaic and flat-footed narrative, which borrows too heavily from other fairy tales. Praise goes to the hand-drawn animation enhanced by CGI, the gentle pacing, and strong voice performances that convey grief and kindness. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/song-of-the-sea-2014) ## Sight and Sound — Alex Dudok de Wit Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 2015. The critic praises Moore's sophomore feature for its authentic Irish mythology and expressive 2D animation, highlighting greater technical accomplishment than in The Secret of Kells. It notes the film's derivative elements relative to Ghibli influences and its predecessor but commends its bold inventiveness and reminder of 2D animation's unique expressive power. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/toon-week-song-sea) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 December 2014. The review lauds the film's abstract, watercolor-infused animation style that visualizes metaphors directly and elevates the folkloric tale. It notes that while the plot can feel whimsical or incoherent at times, the emotional core about harboring pain and family healing remains fully realized. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/song-of-the-sea/) ## The Skinny — John Nugent Rating ★★★★★. 6 July 2015. Praises it as richly deserving of Oscar nomination, rooted in Irish mythology with themes of grief, astonishing animation; brims with charm, wit, emotion and magic. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/song-of-the-sea-review) ## Paste — Andy Crump Rating 9.2. 18 December 2014. The critic calls it the best animated film of the year thanks to its visceral 2D animation and rich Irish folklore, while suggesting it might have translated even better as an interactive game. He singles out the mature handling of grief, sibling resentment, and timeless storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/song-of-sea) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2014. Festival review. The critic praises the hand-crafted, intricately drawn animation style as a glorious visual experience and highlights the film's sincere emotional core in depicting family relationships, especially the dynamic between the jealous yet protective older brother and his sister. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/song-of-the-sea-review/) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2015. The review lauds the film's gorgeous hand-drawn animation, precise world-building drawn from Celtic mythology, and focus on the children's relationship as an enchanting feat of craftsmanship. Minor complaints include underdeveloped adult characters and occasionally opaque mythic rules. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2015/02/film-review-song-of-the-sea/) ## Den of Geek — Ryan Lambie Rating 4/5. 7 July 2015. The critic praises the film's charming animation, sense of innocence, and handling of grief through folklore and imagination. They single out the vivid, detailed art style and influence from Miyazaki. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/song-of-the-sea-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2015. The critic commends the intricately drawn, Celtic-inflected animation that flows like the sea itself and notes how the film explores unusually complex emotions such as jealousy, grief, and longing within a magical adventure framework. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/song-of-the-sea-2014-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2015. The film stands out as one of the year's animated highlights for its exquisite, enigmatic take on Irish folklore. The critic singles out the gorgeous watercolor-style animation and storybook visuals for particular praise while noting the dense, exposition-light plot as a potential drawback. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/song-of-the-sea-review-irish-animation-academy-awards/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea.md