This film was a first in that it was a collaborative work between the famed Studio Ghibli and an outside director; in this case, a Dutch director called Michael Dudok de Wit, known for his award-winning animated shorts. While ‘The Red Turtle’ has been extremely well received by critics, I didn't appreciate it to the same degree; I expected a high-value treasure, washed ashore and fully of intrigue, but found it more like an item clearly modelled off another, but lacking the same mastery.
Overall, the film is dull and simple, and tells the tale of a man who finds happiness while being stranded on a lonely island, with the Red Turtle as his only companion. I was glad that it didn't win the 2016 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature that it was nominated for (it lost to ‘Inside Out’, by Disney Pixar); while Hollywood must be kept in check by outside film producers, I'm glad that the makers of ‘The Red Turtle’ will have to go back and try again; creators of films like this can produce genuine treasures, and I'd love to see this team's creation when they do.
So, overall; my recommendation- Don't bother with this film, unless an animated turtle would bring you delight (this one's a stunner and one of the film's highlights), need to see it to complete your Ghibli checklist, or you're not familiar with films of this type and have nothing to compare it to.