NYCIFF ’24: Kensuke’s Kingdom

This Michael Morpurgo novel is sort of like Island of the Blue Dolphins with primates. You can also think of it much like The Cay, but in this case, the pre-teen boy is marooned with an elderly Japanese soldier and a dog (who is definitely a trade-up from a cat). Either way, young Michael will learn a lot about mother nature’s creatures and human nature in Neil Boyle & Kirk Hendry’s animated adaptation of Morpugo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom, which screens during the 2024 New York International Children’s Film Festival.

After they both lost their jobs, Michael’s parents decided the responsible thing to do would be buying a boat and sailing around the world, with him and his sister. Their logic is hard to follow (isn’t school supposed to be important for kids?), but this is a movie, so, fine, so be it. Yet, it turns out to be a questionable decision when Michael and his dog Stella are washed overboard during a storm.

Miraculously, both Michael and Stella land on the beach of a remote desert island. Without any visible means of foraging for food or fresh water, they would die were it not for the provisions mysteriously left for them each morning. Despite his mercy, Kensuke wants nothing to do with the boy and his dog. When they do finally meet, Michael’s awkward clumsiness angers the old Japanese man. However, an understanding grows between them, especially when Michael deduces the fate of Kensuke’s family in Nagasaki. They will also join forces to protect the island’s orangutans and gibbons from evil outsiders.

Morpurgo’s story (from the author of War Horse and Private Peaceful) is very much in the tradition of the aforementioned young adult novels, but the island setting and the primate characters make it particularly well suited for an animated treatment. The lush tropical environment and Kensuke’s Ewok-baroque bamboo home are visually striking. The animals also look great. Honestly, it is hard to go wrong when you give the audience a clever dog and a bunch of monkeys.

Kensuke’s flashbacks are also distinctively rendered in a less realistic, more expressionistic style. Kensuke’s “separate peace,” rejecting the world of men to serve as the primate’s protector gives the film a deeper resonance than those other castaway tales. Although he rarely speaks distinct words, Ken Watanabe still expresses a lot through his non-verbal utterances. At first, Michael is a bit of a pill, but he steadily matures, which makes for a rewarding arc.

In many ways, Kensuke’s Kingdom shares a kinship with The Red Turtle. In fact, it also has turtles, but it will be more accessible for younger, attention-challenged viewers than Michael Dudok de Wit’s graceful animated wonder. It is a solidly entertaining tale of wilderness survival and coming of age. Highly recommended for family viewing, Kensuke’s Kingdom screens tomorrow afternoon (3/9), as part of this year’s NYICFF.