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Kensuke's Kingdom

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Kensuke's Kingdom

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Summary

Animated adventure featuring the voices of Aaron MacGregor and Ken Watanabe. Young Michael embarks upon a globe-trotting sea voyage with his parents. But a storm separates them and Michael finds himself on a desert island with only his dog and an elderly man, Kensuke, for company.

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Jayne Nelson

This elegant animated adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's children's book follows a fictionalised version of the author's childhood self (voiced by Aaron MacGregor) after he is whisked away to sea by his parents (Sally Hawkins and Cillian Murphy). Michael's round-the-world adventure is abruptly halted when he falls overboard during a storm and washes up on a tropical island with his dog, Stella. Initially, he faces a battle to survive, but he soon discovers he's not alone: Kensuke (Ken Watanabe, speaking Japanese throughout) was stranded on the island during the Second World War, decades prior. Now an old man - and still grieving the loss of his family in the Nagasaki bombing - Kensuke slowly bonds with Michael before the island's peace is threatened by hunters. Although this is a British production funded by the BFI, the film's measured pacing and meticulous 2D animation are reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli masterpiece. The emotional core of the film doesn't quite hit that spot, but it's close.

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6.9/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameMichaelAaron MacGregorMumSally HawkinsDadCillian MurphyKensukeKen WatanabeBeckyRaffey Cassidy

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Crew

rolenameDirectorNeil BoyleDirectorKirk Hendry

Details

Theatrical distributor

Modern Films

Released on

2024-08-02

Languages

English | Japanese

Guidance

Some violence.

Formats

Colour

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