Throughout the 2000s, a normalization of computer-generated animation threatened to destroy animation as a medium. While some believed hand-drawn works had run their course, a handful of artists kept the art form alive. With time, many realized that the animation in CG films like Shark Tale, Bolt, or Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, could not stand the test of time. The Peasants, from DK and Hugh Welchman, looks to shake up animation.

Their previous film, 2017’s Loving Vincent, birthed a new art form. Utilizing live-action footage as a reference, the Welchmans allowed animators to recreate Van Gogh’s visual palette, creating an “oil painting” animated feature. The result is a far more intricate visual palette, combining classic art and animation storytelling. The flowing visuals stun throughout, and help change the perception of what can be depicted in an animated feature. Now, after its festival run in 2023, The Peasants looks to elevate the medium once again.

The Plot

Based on Władysław Reymont’s novel, The Peasants tells the story of Jagna Paczesiówna (Kamila Urzędowska). Jagna loves Antek Boryna (Robert Gulaczyk), a married man and son of the wealthiest man in town. At the same time, many suitors approach Jagna for courtship. Among them is Antek’s father, Maciej Boryna (Mirosław Baka). After Jagna agrees to marry Maciej to support her family (with six acres of land), she begins a torrid affair with Antek. Over the next year, Maciej and Antek fight over Jagna and Russian troops move into the area to support local landowners. Tensions begin to heighten, and violence overtakes the town.

The animation throughout The Peasants remains the most stunning visual achievement of the medium in 2023. Considering the year also features Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, this is quite the coup. The Welchmans consistently shift audience expectations, elevating what could be a very slow-moving feature into an electric and violent portrait. The dances, graphic sex scenes, and violence are unlike anything you have seen in animation. There’s an intimacy that cannot be replicated with CG animation, and the shimmering lights, costumes, and jewelry are stunning to behold. The marriage ceremony between Jagna and Maciej is one of the best scenes of the year in any movie.

The Peasants Struggles Because of the Novel’s Influence

Despite this, the visual splendor wanes as the story grows repetitive. Pulling from Reymont’s novel inevitably limits the chances that the story can take. It’s a catch-22 because it’s also unlikely the Welchmans would have received this budget for an original story. After all, Reymont’s series of novels won the Nobel Prize in 1924 and remains a stunning achievement of storytelling today. However, because of its power in international literature and storytelling, the last one hundred years have seen its themes and ideas explored across hundreds of works. Like John Carter of Mars or The Red Badge of Courage, the best ideas have been co-opted by other works.

This leaves The Peasants in a difficult place, and while it’s a faithful adaptation of Reymont’s work, the story begins to falter after the wedding at the end of the first chapter. The next three chapters cannot keep the energy high enough, and they do not feel as visually exquisite either. As it begins to run out of juice, The Peasants tries to spark conversation with the classism inherent in the story. However, even this becomes rote, and the movie becomes overly predictable. If this version of The Peasants had been released in 1971, the ideas would have been fresh. Today, they are not.

The concepts introduced remain as worthy of exploration in 2024 as they did upon Reymont’s initial release. Other aspects of the story resonate stronger today, especially the differences in how a community perceives an affair for the man versus the woman. While Antek receives little backlash despite actively pursuing Jagna and even committing acts of sexual violence, it is Jagna who bears the weight of the outrage. These sexual politics continue to invoke discourse today, further adding to the power of Reymont’s story.

Conclusion

While The Peasants will undeniably take your breath away visually, the story cannot keep pace. This is not the fault of Reymont – after all, all he did was create an essential text for generations to come. However, the Welchmans could not update the story to make it feel as essential as its initial release. It’s not a cliche when you’re the inventor of the cliche, but when this movie was made in 2023, the directors already knew this issue coming into the project. Without finding a way to update these aspects, The Peasants falls short of the greatness it might have achieved.

7/10

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