The Red Turtle
Movie, 2016, The 2010s, Set in A desert island
The Red Turtle is #23 of 25 in release order and #23 of 25 in chronological order in the Studio Ghibli.
The story
The dialogue-less film follows the major life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs and birds.
The Red Turtle recap
The Red Turtle (2016) follows a castaway whose rafts keep being smashed by a giant red turtle, and who finds a new life when the turtle becomes a woman. Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit directed and co-wrote this co-production between Studio Ghibli and French companies, the first Ghibli film by a director from outside Japan. There is no dialogue. The man finds fresh water, fruit and bamboo on the island and builds three rafts, and each is broken by something under the sea. When the red turtle crawls ashore, he hits it with a stick and flips it onto its back, then regrets it, but the turtle dies. Its shell splits open to reveal a red-haired woman, and the two fall in love and raise a son, who learns to swim with sea turtles.
The Red Turtle ending explained
The Red Turtle ends after a tsunami nearly separates the family and their grown son leaves to swim out to sea with three turtles. The man and woman grow old on the island together. When the man dies one night, the woman lies beside him, then turns back into the red turtle and swims away. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Post-credits scenes
No. The Red Turtle has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch The Red Turtle
The Red Turtle isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.5/10, Rotten Tomatoes 93%
Where it fits
- Release order: after When Marnie Was There, before Earwig and the Witch.
- Chronological order: after When Marnie Was There, before Earwig and the Witch.
Cast
- Tom Hudson as The Son as a Young Adult (voice)
- Baptiste Goy as The Son as a Child (voice)
- Axel Devillers as The Son as a Baby (voice)
- Barbara Beretta as The Mother (voice)
Directed by Michael Dudok de Wit.