After being left breathless by Wolfwalkers (2020-also reviewed) I decided to catch the final movie in the Manchester Animation Festival line-up. Curious over this being a French take of a Western, I got set to meet Calamity.

View on the film:

Revealing in the Q & A after the screening of wanting to build on the style of his 2015 feature film debut Long Way North, co-writer/(with Sandra Tosello & Fabrice de Costil) director Remi Chaye goes to the Wild West with a immaculate "Outline-less" style of animation, where the lack of said outline allows Calamity to become fully immersed in the bright blue skyline.

Backed by Jonathan Morali's shimmering score, the oil painting design gives the smooth hand-drawn animation a richness, with colours popping as Calamity rides into town via stealth, getting swept up in grainy browns across the rural outback, when Calamity's true identity is untangled.

Whilst based upon a number of biographies on Jane, the writers brilliantly hold back from doing a quick-draw of the legend, instead taking the cowboy boots off all the men who believe people should know their place. Janes thrillingly kicks back by cutting her hair and rebelling against all the cowboys who attempt to stop her gaining self-confidence and going against the grain in becoming the legendary Calamity Jane.

The legend of Calamity serves to build a film of great formal beauty, in the creation of landscapes full of color and an unlimited horizon. With a solid script that creates an entertaining story and endearing characters, Calamity is also a vindication of women in a man's world, where the disguise builds her own personality. It's a story of transformation from girl to woman and from woman to myth.

Oh my god, what did they do to Calamity Jane?

In the first place it has nothing to do with the historical character apart from her name; the main character is so annoying that it seems that I am watching Dennis the Menace.

Always so angry and upset.

Yes, the animation is so beautiful but don't use her name in vain.