Watch Kids' Reviews of
INTO THE WONDERWOODS

Into the Wonderwoods is an extremely worthwhile watch. It explores adventure, friendship, fighting, and magic.

The storyline follows Angelo who dreams of becoming an adventurer, but sadly can only embark on imaginary ones. His family doesn't take him seriously; it seems like the only thing he can do is be a "slaphead," the nickname he earned from his brother, Leo. Tragedy strikes when Angelo's Gran (Yolande Moreua) falls fatally ill and the family takes a long journey to Gran's house. Somehow, the journey distracts them, and no one seems to notice that Angelo is left behind in a magical forest. Not far away, Ultra (José Garcia), a totalitarian space alien is determined to find the grail of eternal life --so much so that he is threatening to destroy the forest. Not only does Angelo need to stop him, but he also needs to figure out how to catch up with his family and see Gran.

My favorite aspect of this movie is the animation. I give a big shoutout to the animators Coline Veith, Samuel Devynk, and Michael Tenner Wijaya Oei who created this film. I particularly love the magical forest because it really puts "wonder" into "Wonderwoods." I also love all the characters in this movie. I like that the main villain, Ultra, is also a misunderstood funny guy. His humor makes the movie a billion times more fun to watch! Another great character is Angelo. He is an adventurer at heart, but at times he struggles and doesn't believe in himself. As he slowly becomes the hero of the woods, the audience sees him grow in confidence. This is an extremely important theme to communicate to people of all ages, although the movie is primarily geared to a younger audience.

The film's message is to value yourself and be your own soldier. We see this explored as Angelo decides to follow his dream and takes a stand that no one will define him. Please be advised that this movie includes minor profanity and flashing images that may be overwhelming to photosensitive viewers.

I give Into the Wonderwoods 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. It releases on VOD June 24, 2025.

By Zoey F, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

I really liked Into The Wonderwoods because it is fun, imaginative, and full of adventure that kept me interested the whole time!

The story revolves around a 10-year-old boy named Angelo who dreams of becoming a brave adventurer. When his family goes on a road trip to visit his sick grandma, something unexpected happens - they accidentally leave him behind at a rest stop. Instead of waiting for help, Angelo decides to take matters into his own hands and cuts through the mysterious forest in the direction of his grandma's house. While on his journey, Angelo meets all kinds of strange creatures - some friendly, some not-so-friendly. Angelo has to overcome challenges in order to find his granny.

This film is a great pick for anyone who loves fantasy, magical creatures, and stories about being brave. One of the things I like best about Into The Wonderwoods is how creative Angelo's world is. The forest feels like a place from a dream, filled with ogres, grumpy clouds, and even a creature made of grass and dirt. He's my favorite. I also like how the story shows that being brave doesn't mean not being scared - it means facing your fears. Angelo doesn't have any superpowers, just his quick thinking and kind heart, which makes it easy to cheer him on. The background music adds to the magical feeling, especially during the more intense scenes when Leo is being chased or trying to solve a mystery. The animation is colorful and detailed, making every part of the forest feel alive. The effects are amazing and really stand out. The exposition is easy to understand and follow along. My favorite part is when the creature made of grass eats a bomb. If there was one thing I would change in this movie it's that Angelo says "mommy" too much and that it is weird how the small ogre girl Zaza kisses Angelo all the time and talks about him being her boyfriend.

Into the Wonderwoods is a heartwarming, exciting story that mixes adventure, magic, and friendship. It shows that even when things go wrong, we can find courage inside ourselves and maybe even discover a little wonder along the way.

I give Into The Wonderwoods 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. It is available on VOD beginning June 24, 2025.

By Ariel K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

Into The Wonderwoods is a magical animated film that really engaged me. I like how the film, in addition to having memorable characters, is super involved with current problems and resolutions.

The storyline is about Angelo (Dario Hardouin-Spurio), a 10-year-old boy who dreams of being an adventurer. His family doesn't take him seriously. His dreams are high, but unexpected things happen and the solution depends on the little boy's determination and sense of adventure.

The film's animation is wonderful, with great camera angles and adorable supernatural characters, including the forest itself. For example there is a shiny mythical creature, like a firefly, that calls the boy. Not only do all the characters move, but the entire forest moves as well and that enchanted me, in part because it induces the boy to follow the story. I like that the film deals with serious issues, such as deforestation, in a way that everyone can understand, but particularly children. For example, we see an animal happily flying and it comes across these things falling from a spaceship and it gets scared - both the animal and the place are destroyed. The story is very intriguing; I could really relate to the characters and become empathetic with their situation. For example, his family takes a long journey and Angelo's parents get distracted and Angelo gets left behind in a magical forest - he doesn't know what to do, because he is just a child. During that scene, I was intrigued by his situation and wondered what Angelo would do. But Angelo comes through and becomes as brave and adventurous as he is in his dreams. The adventures are fundamental to his development and make him stronger and braver throughout the film, just as he dreamed. The background music is essential to the film. When Angelo is in the backlands the music relates to the location and makes us dive into the scene along with him. My favorite part is when Angelo is watching something with the other animals; the scene is in black and white which gives it a vintage vibe, bringing to light an interesting era, like the beginning of the world of animation/

The film's message is to remember to dream and not pollute the environment. Don't let anyone take your dreams away from you.

I give Into The Wonderwoods 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. The film releases on VOD June 24, 2025.

By Anna Clara B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

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Ten-year-old Angelo dreams of becoming an explorer and a zoologist. When he hits the road with his family to visit his beloved granny, his distracted parents leave him behind at a rest stop. Left to his own devices, Angelo decides to cut through the forest in search of his family. He enters a dark and mysterious world inhabited by strange creatures, some friendlier than others.