Rating: 4.5/5
Oh My Horror 2025 | 4/52 | Animated Horror
A mechanism comes alive. The sun rises over the town of Hamelin, and the gears grind. A bell awakens the townspeople, who go to work. Their various interactions show how petty and greedy they are.
In their wanton food waste, the rich draw rats that overtake the town, stealing food and riches. The townspeople are at a loss. That is, until a piper arrives, who claims he can drive away the rats with his pipe.
The film has an exaggerated geometry, reminiscent of German Expressionism, but with a flatness more akin to cubism. The stop-motion animation is complex and elegant, feeling impossible in the contradictions of flat surfaces and depth of action.
The characters speak a fictitious language, so visual cues accompany some of the dialogue to convey what is said.
The world has the darkness of a Grimm fairy tale. The story is violent and ruthless. This film is a remarkable achievement in animation. I wish I connected to it on an emotional level, but I still adore it.