--- title: "The Secret of Kells: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-secret-of-kells/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-secret-of-kells" critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 18 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." --- # The Secret of Kells (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 78 from 18 reviews: 17 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like it, and nearly all of them like it for the same reason: the hand-drawn animation. Reviewers keep returning to the intricate patterns and jewel-bright colours borrowed from the Book of Kells itself, and several point out that a 2D film drawn this carefully needs no 3D to hold the eye. The mixing of Christian and pagan Ireland is praised as unforced, most agree the film works for children and adults at once, and one review reaches for Miyazaki as the nearest comparison. The reservations, where they exist, are all about the story. Several critics find the plot tangled or hectic, a frame on which to hang the artwork rather than a reason to watch in itself, and Variety notes the earnest script is short on jokes. The spread is narrow; the lone dissenter is Slant, which admires the imagery but finds the drama schematic and thin. ## Empire — Helen O'Hara Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2010. The film nails Irish cultural peculiarities without stereotyping and mixes Christianity with paganism in its tale of the Book of Kells' creation. The animation is astonishing, with intricate details echoing the manuscript, and the story enchants both children and adults as a European equivalent to Miyazaki. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/secret-kells-review/) ## Film Comment Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). The review praises the film's universal appeal and visual dazzle, noting its suitability for both children and art enthusiasts while highlighting its Oscar nomination. It singles out the retro-cartoon style and Celtic-psychedelic backgrounds as standout elements. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/short-takes-the-secret-of-kells-review) ## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson Rating A-. 13 October 2010. The film is a visually breathtaking metaphorical exploration of Irish history and the symbolic importance of the Book of Kells, with a rich, layered world that rewards attention to its complex themes. It may baffle viewers expecting conventional fairy-tale structure but succeeds through its intense emotions and lush animation. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-secret-of-kells-1798166169) ## The Telegraph — Jenny McCartney Rating ****. 30 September 2010. This sumptuous 2D visual feast is the year's third best animation after two 3D blockbusters. Its ravishing, intricate hand-drawn style inspired by the Book of Kells is singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/8035150/The-Secret-of-Kells-review.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2010. The review calls the film a ravishing example of hand-drawn animation that fights against contemporary trends with its sophisticated European style and defense of books and imagination. Its success stems from a marvelous visual style and playful yet serious spirit that blends pagan, Christian, and monstrous elements joyfully. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-apr-02-la-et-kells2-2010apr02-story.html) ## Little White Lies — Alice Levick Rating 3/4/4. 1 October 2010. The critic finds the film a visually stunning animation that blends whimsy and menace effectively. They praise its detailed hand-drawn style and the way it uses the story as a metaphor for a boy's coming-of-age and imagination, though the historical elements of the Book of Kells are less clear. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-secret-of-kells) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2009. Festival review. Calls the film visually ravishing and doused in Celtic magic, highlighting the intricate animation in forest sequences that draw on medieval manuscript styles and motifs. Notes it will appeal especially to younger audiences and Irish diaspora viewers for its original take on traditional animation. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/animation/brendan-and-the-secret-of-kells/4043048.article) ## The Hollywood Reporter — The Associated Press Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. The critic praises the film's vibrant, hand-drawn animation inspired by the Book of Kells as a reminder that 3D is not needed for striking images. They highlight its whimsical quality, universal themes of imagination and dreams, and suitability for all ages. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/secret-kells-film-review-29365/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2010. This hand-drawn Celtic animation turns the legend of the Book of Kells into compelling viewing for children and an artistic delight for adults. The lively illuminations and magical elements are highlighted. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/the-secret-of-kells-x3cmv7wg662) ## Time Out — Cath Clarke Rating 4/5. 28 September 2010. Praises the magical, ornate hand-drawn animation inspired by medieval art and Celtic folklore. Singles out the labor of love in the animation and the wonderful images, while noting the story is a bit tangled. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-secret-of-kells-1) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. Tomm Moore’s Irish animation, with its painstaking references to Celtic myth and medieval manuscripts, shows lively originality that places Europe’s animators on par with or ahead of America’s in some respects. The original animation draws viewers in, making it suitable for parents and children alike without adult boredom. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/cartoon-craic-in-the-secret-of-kells-7421901.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 September 2010. This unlikely Irish animation about monks creating the Book of Kells is a quiet, pleasurable film. The visuals evoke the illustrations themselves in a low-key way. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/sep/30/the-secret-of-kells-review) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Rating NYT Critic’s Pick. 4 March 2010. The critic highlights the film's dense, intricate animation style inspired by the Book of Kells, praising its visual brio and the convincing link it draws between ancient manuscript illumination and modern animation. A somewhat hectic plot serves mainly as scaffolding for the extraordinary artwork. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/movies/05secret.html) ## Variety — Leslie Felperin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 February 2009. Festival review. The critic finds the retro look, drawing from illuminated manuscripts and older animation styles, luscious and refreshing, with jewel-bright colors and intricate patterns that will appeal especially to younger children and art-minded parents. The earnest screenplay lacks jokes, limiting broader appeal despite strong craft. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/brendan-and-the-secret-of-kells-1200473465/) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2010. The film's majestic hand-drawn animation creates a visually stunning medieval-inspired world full of inventive imagery, but the story lacks dramatic vigor, emotional depth, and engagement, feeling schematic and underdeveloped despite its folklore roots. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-secret-of-kells/) ## The Playlist — Gabe Toro Rating A-. 5 March 2010. The critic praises it as a feast for fans of serious animation, highlighting the love and dedication in the hand-drawn Celtic/medieval style and the emotional engagement in the story sequences. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-secret-of-kells-is-feast-for-20100305/) ## Collider — Rob Vaux Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 October 2010. The critic praises the film's unique artistic design inspired by medieval art and its meditation on knowledge, nature, and civilization. However, the story and characters sometimes get lost amid the visual inventiveness, leading to a slow pace that prioritizes spectacle over narrative drive. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-secret-of-kells-blu-ray-movie-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 July 2009. The critic finds the film captivatingly creative visually but over-fussy in story, calling it an entertaining and accomplished debut. They single out the intricate, hand-drawn animation inspired by Celtic imagery as a visual feast that pops off the screen. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-secret-of-kells-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) --- © 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/the-secret-of-kells.md