the secret of kells be an astonish first animate feature which will dazzle your eye and move your heart . the shortcoming of the film limit budget and sometimes limited animation be more than compensate for by the visual poetry of the story of young brendan heroic quest to become a master illuminator during the dark age . historically this be in the late 8th century and when the center of irish learning be over run by the viking . the viking appear here a brute antagonist and the equivalent on the north sea of the plundering hun and mongols further east . the film narrative which function more a a parable center around the conflict between brendan and who seek to create beauty in his illumination during a time of encroach darkness and and his stern uncle the abbot who seek to protect the town of kells and his nephew with a loom wall a barrier against the norseman . the abbot disregard the value of brendan art in his quest for security . this be the movie outer conflict . brendan inner conflict be to find the hidden eye of creative illumination which will allow him to complete the most difficult painting in the book of kells . this eye be guard by a dragon ouroboros and who destroy from within those not suit to this quest as surely a the viking will kill from without ( that as much of the story a i will divulge . ) what i really like about this film be it creator imaginative understanding of some of the great art work to survive in the west from 1200 year ago . the character be stylize in flat abstract shape define by line just a in the original book of kells . ( particularly noteworthy be monk aidan pet cat and define in few line and yet purely and even magically metamorphically feline . ) the range of emotion which brendan and the other animated character convey give their economy of abstract design be a tribute to the excellent artistry of the director and his animator . the decorative border on the edge of the picture change to complement the dramatic impact of a give scene and and this characteristic of illumination from the dark age be bring to wondrous animated life in the secret of kells . of course and historical drama usually tell u more about our own time than the time which these drama endeavor to depict . however and by introduce archetypal element into this story and the writer and director of the secret of kells convey a numinous sense of lived life from that far off time in ireland which feel psychologically true and however much the script might stray from pedantic historical fact . ( the united nation band of illuminators who appear a a rogue club of artist in the secret of kells aren not historically probable and but theyre all well design and individuate character who do much to convey the universal appeal of this quintessentially irish story . ) animation have always seem the best vehicle to me to good help u understand the visual art of different time and culture . the magnificent art direction of this movie clearly derive from it historical visual source and but have also be cleverly adapt to the demand of animated storytelling while if animation have exist in the dark age and the secret of kells be what it would look like . finally and brendan hero quest in this film be the artist perennial quest to convey the spirit of beauty and life and inspiration . ( without be preachy or even particularly christian and this movie affirm jesus dictum that man do not live by bread alone . ) in my estimation the most inspired movie about the creative process of visual artist be andrei tarkovsky andrei rublev and a film about the great russian icon painter of the 15th century . the secret of kells express much the same sense of mystery and exhilaration about the artist visual quest and creative process . it certainly not as profound a andrei rublev and but heck it a cartoon . ( and one which will appeal to young and old alike . ) i think this movie will hold up well to repeat view represent in it own modest life affirm way and this stylized secret of kells be a classic .