The movie WENDELL & WILD centers on Kat Elliot, a rebellious 13-year-old girl haunted by guilt over the death of her parents, Delroy and Wilma, who perished in a car accident when she was eight. Following years in juvenile detention, Kat is enrolled in Rust Bank Catholic School, located in her decaying hometown, now under the control of the nefarious Klaxon Corporation.
Read also: THE CASAGRANDES MOVIE – NETFLIX ANIMATION REVIEW
In the underworld, demon brothers Wendell and Wild are tasked with applying hair cream to their balding father, Buffalo Belzer, who torments souls in his hellish amusement park. After ingesting the hair cream, they experience a vision of Kat and discover that the cream can resurrect the dead.
Identifying Kat as their “Hell Maiden,” Wendell and Wild persuade her to summon them to the land of the living, promising to revive her parents. Kat, seeking redemption, agrees and, with the help of her friend Raúl Cocolotl, performs the ritual. However, the demons arrive at the wrong location, leading Kat to believe she was deceived.
Read also: FLOW- ANIMATION REVIEW
Meanwhile, the Klaxon Corporation, aiming to expand their private prison empire, conspires with the resurrected Father Bests and the demon brothers to manipulate the town council. Kat uncovers the truth about the Klaxons’ role in her parents’ death and the town’s decline. With the assistance of Raúl and Sister Helley, a nun with a secret past, Kat confronts her inner demons and the external forces threatening her community.
In the climax, Kat overcomes her guilt, thwarts the Klaxons’ plans, and helps restore Rust Bank. Wendell and Wild, having learned from their experiences, choose a new path, and Kat finds a sense of peace and belonging.
Read also: ORION AND THE DARK: A NETFLIX ANIMATION REVIEW
Director: Henry Selick
Voice Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Lyric Ross
Runtime: 105 minutes
Watch trailer here.
