Wendell & Wild
Wendell & Wild
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
3/5
Notable
Fear
4/5
Intense
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Wendell and Wild is a stop-motion animated film directed by Henry Selick (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas), with a deliberately gothic and macabre visual style that blends offbeat humor, a colorful demon universe, and emotionally weighty themes. The film directly addresses parental death, a teenager's guilt, zombies, Hell, and the schemes of corrupt adults, all within a consistently dark and expressive aesthetic. These elements are woven throughout the entire narrative: resurrection of the dead is a central plot mechanic, demonic creatures appear frequently, and intense or oppressive scenes follow one another at a steady pace. Parents of younger or more sensitive children should consider watching alongside them, leaving room for a conversation afterwards about grief, guilt, and forgiveness.
Synopsis
Two scheming demons strike a deal with a punk rock-loving teen so they can leave the Underworld and live out their dreams in the Land of the Living.
Difficult scenes
Kat's parents' deaths are shown at the very start of the film in the form of a traumatic car accident. Although stylized, the scene immediately sets up a heavy grief narrative, and the guilt felt by the eight-year-old girl who believes she caused the crash forms the emotional core of the entire film. This premise may be unsettling for children who have experienced loss or who are sensitive to family separation. The Hell universe is depicted repeatedly throughout the film with tortured landscapes, grotesque creatures, an oppressive atmosphere, and visually striking demonic characters. Wendell and Wild themselves, though presented with humor, have a genuinely frightening physical appearance for younger viewers. These macabre images and infernal environments appear in many scenes and may cause anxiety in children under ten. Several corpses are resurrected as zombies as a core plot device, including town council members and the character of Father Bests. These resurrections are shown directly, with bodies being exhumed and undead characters acting among the living. The nighttime cemetery exhumation scene, in which Kat is forced to dig up graves, is particularly intense and may disturb sensitive children. The film includes a ritual called 'soul binding' during which Kat is forcibly confronted with her painful memories, including the night of the accident and her own guilt. This emotionally and psychologically charged sequence, visually immersive in its approach, can be distressing even for teenagers, as it plunges the viewer directly into the character's inner turmoil without softening. The corruption of adults in positions of authority, including wealthy parents and a priest complicit in a murder, is an explicit and recurring narrative theme. A murder is committed by the Klaxons to protect their interests, which represents fairly dark moral content for an animated film, even if the staging remains stylized.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2022
- Runtime
- 1h 45m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Henry Selick
- Main cast
- Lyric Ross, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Sam Zelaya, James Hong, Angela Bassett, Gabrielle Dennis, Gary Gatewood, Igal Naor, Tamara Smart
- Studios
- The Gotham Group, Monkeypaw Productions
Content barometer
Violence
3/5
Notable
Fear
4/5
Intense
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Wendell and Wild is a stop-motion animated film directed by Henry Selick (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas), with a deliberately gothic and macabre visual style that blends offbeat humor, a colorful demon universe, and emotionally weighty themes. The film directly addresses parental death, a teenager's guilt, zombies, Hell, and the schemes of corrupt adults, all within a consistently dark and expressive aesthetic. These elements are woven throughout the entire narrative: resurrection of the dead is a central plot mechanic, demonic creatures appear frequently, and intense or oppressive scenes follow one another at a steady pace. Parents of younger or more sensitive children should consider watching alongside them, leaving room for a conversation afterwards about grief, guilt, and forgiveness.
Synopsis
Two scheming demons strike a deal with a punk rock-loving teen so they can leave the Underworld and live out their dreams in the Land of the Living.
Difficult scenes
Kat's parents' deaths are shown at the very start of the film in the form of a traumatic car accident. Although stylized, the scene immediately sets up a heavy grief narrative, and the guilt felt by the eight-year-old girl who believes she caused the crash forms the emotional core of the entire film. This premise may be unsettling for children who have experienced loss or who are sensitive to family separation. The Hell universe is depicted repeatedly throughout the film with tortured landscapes, grotesque creatures, an oppressive atmosphere, and visually striking demonic characters. Wendell and Wild themselves, though presented with humor, have a genuinely frightening physical appearance for younger viewers. These macabre images and infernal environments appear in many scenes and may cause anxiety in children under ten. Several corpses are resurrected as zombies as a core plot device, including town council members and the character of Father Bests. These resurrections are shown directly, with bodies being exhumed and undead characters acting among the living. The nighttime cemetery exhumation scene, in which Kat is forced to dig up graves, is particularly intense and may disturb sensitive children. The film includes a ritual called 'soul binding' during which Kat is forcibly confronted with her painful memories, including the night of the accident and her own guilt. This emotionally and psychologically charged sequence, visually immersive in its approach, can be distressing even for teenagers, as it plunges the viewer directly into the character's inner turmoil without softening. The corruption of adults in positions of authority, including wealthy parents and a priest complicit in a murder, is an explicit and recurring narrative theme. A murder is committed by the Klaxons to protect their interests, which represents fairly dark moral content for an animated film, even if the staging remains stylized.