Into the Wonderwoods is not rated because it hasn’t been submitted to any official rating board yet. It premiered at film festivals, where ratings aren’t required.
Directed by Alexis Ducord and Vincent Paronnaud, Angelo dans la Foret Mysterieuse starts with a comedic voice over providing us with a hello to its world or rather, to its characters who inform us all about how his movie is to begin with a long list of credits that no one is ever going to read to any end. It is an interesting and entertaining manner to start the movie because it establishes the mood of the whole movie right at the very beginning.
The animated film has been screened at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, and is also scheduled to screen in the festival program of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, June 2024.
Into the Wonderwoods Review
In the opening of Angelo dans la Forêt Mystrieuse, we see the titular character, a ten-year-old dreaming to be an explorer and and zoobacterologist in his daydreams and dreams. The family leaves when they discover that the grandmother is sick. During the trip, the family nearly gets derailed in an intermediate stop and accidentally leaves Angelo (Dario Hardoin-Spurio) behind. This does not stop Angelo as he was on a mission to meet his grandmother as quickly as possible. He must, however, go through a mysterious forest which appears daunting and has an adventure to be found and experienced by him.
In Angelo dans la For Ct Mysti euse, the most impressive feature was the animation style. It evolves to alter as the movie switches between the fantasy world of Angelo (told in a more traditional animation form) and his exploits in the real world in a three dimensional and contemporary form. This is a visual expression of the difference between the various stories presented in the film. The way the story jumps from the real world to Angelo’s imagination is also interesting as we can immediately see the parallels between Angelo’s family and the characters in his stories.
The story of Angelo once he goes into the titular woodland is also a fascinating thing to watch. Most of his narrative is one rife with story teller devices and allusions that are amusing to identify as the narrative progresses. There are some fairytale land characters that Angelo encounters that are to some extent familiar to the audience already because of having seen them in some of the other stories we know and love. The film is also generally built in accordance with classical form of the Bildungsroman story, the kind of novel that describes the formative years of a character. Similarly to the Bildungsroman, the physical journey of Angelo through the forest is parallel to his personal evolution in the film as it develops.
As much as he spends the better part of his life in a fairytale land living his adventures, the most heartwarming part of the movie is the relationship that Angelo has with his family and in particular his grandmother. In Angelo dans la Forêt Mysterieuse, Angelo mentions at the very start that he cannot imagine a world without Gran. The film helps us realize the necessity of imagination in overcoming adversity, in this case, losing his grandmother when such a situation confronts the boy as a child. I enjoyed how this was done in the plot, although I would have liked the story to have explored a little more of the distinctly painful nature of losing a loved one during childhood.
Other issues are covered in the film as well. It is interesting to note the discussion between Angelo and his father and the Artificial Intelligence GPS who at times has an identity crisis regarding his existence as an artificial intelligence system and the children could like it, but the adults in the audience might enjoy it more. Yet, there seems to be a part of me that thinks Angelo dans la For creats Mysterieuse does not address any of its themes in detail. After Angelo goes on his journey into the forest, the story starts to get more and more and unnecessary complicated with too much side plots and characters, we even forget the inciting incident which initiated the whole film.
On the whole, Angelo dans la Fort Mysterieus is an ideal kids film that is visually stunning and emotionally scarring in its last scenes. Part of me would have preferred the finale of the film to have been a little more realistic which would have most certainly left it more heartbreaking and touching. The story has a happy ending: it should be the case with the children movie, and it suits this audience cohort, yet I would have liked the film to have chosen a more significant message, and La La Land will more likely be remembered by a poorer resolution than a promising finale.
Into the Wonderwoods (2025) Parent Guide
Rating: Not Rated
Best for Ages: 8+
This French animated film might look like a whimsical kids’ adventure, but it carries more emotional weight than you’d expect.
Themes & Emotional Content:: At its heart, this is a story about a young boy dealing with the possible loss of his grandmother. It doesn’t get graphic or overly dramatic, but there’s a quiet sadness underneath the fantasy. Sensitive kids may feel it deeply. There’s a clear message about how imagination helps us cope with grief beautiful, but a bit heavy for very young viewers.
Scary or Confusing Moments: Nothing outright scary, but the mysterious forest, surreal characters, and constant jumps between reality and fantasy might confuse younger children. The plot also gets pretty cluttered lots of side stories and detours that can distract from the main emotional thread.
Language, Violence, or Inappropriate Content: No bad language, no violence, no inappropriate material. It’s clean and safe on the surface — it’s the emotional depth that might catch you off guard.
Humor & Dialogue: There’s some clever humor (especially with a talking GPS who questions its existence yes, really). It’ll amuse older kids and adults more than little ones.
Visual Style: Absolutely stunning. The animation shifts between 2D and 3D to reflect fantasy vs. reality. It’s artistic and meaningful, but not flashy in a typical cartoon way.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t mindless fun it’s a thoughtful, imaginative film that blends fairy tales with real feelings. Best for kids who can handle slower pacing and deeper themes. Watch it with your child and maybe be ready for some big questions after.
