Set in a seaside town in Ireland, “Riverdance: The Animated Adventure” follows an old man, Patrick, who works as a lighthouse keeper. He lives with his wife and a grandson, Keegan, whom he has taught everything he knows. Keegan’s grandmother calls him a “little version of her granddad.” When Patrick dies, Keegan is bestowed with the honor and responsibility of looking after the lighthouse.
In “Riverdance: The Animated Adventure,” the animated characters are voiced by actors Pierce Brosnan and Lily Singh.
The Keeper Of Lighthouse
Patrick is the keeper of the lighthouse, but along with that, he is also a professional hurl player and a talented tap dancer. According to the villagers, in his younger days, Patrick used to dance so swiftly that no one could match his speed even now. Patrick is getting older, but he never forgets to turn the light on in the lighthouse every evening. The villagers believe that the light stops hunters of the dark world from entering their world of light. These huntsmen kill the deer that are responsible for the flow of the river. If it happens, the world of light will be taken over by the dark forces.
According to the myth in the village, the deer in the mythical world of Megaloceros Giganteus do the Riverdance, which keeps the river flowing. That is why it is essential not to let hunters enter their world. While at the lighthouse, Keegan mocks the villagers’ belief in a huntsman and says that there is nothing like a huntsman and that the lighthouse is only to help ships enter the port at night. Patrick still warns Keegan to carry on his traditions after him to keep the village safe. Patrick dies while watching the sunset from the lighthouse. He died in peace doing what he loved doing the most: keeping the village safe. But will his grandson Keegan continue the legacy?
How Does Keegan Have A Change Of Heart?
After Patrick’s death, the whole town dances the tap-dance in his honor. Everyone tells Keegan how great of a person his granddad was. Keegan is just a kid, but he now has the responsibility of keeping the village safe. He is extremely saddened by the loss, regretting that he didn’t get to say the last goodbye when he was right there with him. He throws Patrick’s hat in the lighthouse and sees Moya, his Spanish friend. Moya takes him somewhere he never knew existed.
Keegan and Moya cross the long river to enter Megaloceros Giganteus, the magical world of deer. Keegan is surprised to see that the story of the deer and their Riverdance is not just a myth. The deer in this world are not regular deer. They can walk and dance on two legs and are taller than humans. They have antlers so big that they play the game of hurling with them. The king of the deer is also named Patrick and has the most enormous and most unique antlers of them all. Deer Patrick takes mourning Keegan to the crossing of the afterlife, where the gatekeeper tells him that his grandad went dancing into the afterlife. Keegan is relieved of some pain and is ready to go back and safeguard the village, like his granddad.
‘Riverdance: The Animated Adventure’ Ending, Explained
While on their way back from the sea, the huntsman attacks the deer. When Patrick had passed away, Keegan had left the lighthouse without lighting the lamp, and that’s when the huntsman entered the village. Like the deer, Keegan thought that the huntsman was also a myth, but it was as true as the magical deer. The huntsman has already set traps, and he finally catches Patrick, the king of deer, in one of them. He cuts off his antlers, and the river in the village dries up. Patrick dies, and the world of darkness takes over.
Keegan realizes his mistake and starts a fight with the huntsman on his own. The gatekeeper tells him not to let the huntsman cross the sea, or the dark world will stay forever. Keegan uses his hurling skills to attack the huntsman, and the fish of the sea also help him. Keegan frees Patrick’s antlers and throws them into the sea. The sea enrages and gulps down the huntsman. The river starts flowing again in the village, and the world of light is back again. Keegan takes responsibility for the lighthouse happily, and the village is safe again.
Keegan faces the darkness inside him, the fear and regret of losing his granddad without saying goodbye. He learns to grow beyond his fear and carries on the legacy of lighting the lighthouse. Trying to fit into the Irish village, Spanish girl Moya performs Spanish Flamenco during the St. Patrick’s Day festival. One must not be afraid to be their true self, and there is always light when you cross the dark.
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure is a 2021 Animated film streaming on Netflix. It is directed by Eamonn Butler and Dave Rosenbaum.
