Featuring: Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Kô Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
In Cinemas: 26th December 2023
Mahito, a young 12-year-old boy, struggles to settle in a new town after his mother’s death. However, when a talking heron informs Mahito that his mother is still alive, he enters an abandoned tower in search of her, which takes him to another world.
Hayao Miyazakiis is somebody who doesn’t need an introduction and is one of the most renowned directors in animation. He is known for that classic and timeless style of animation that brings this vibrant, stunning imagery. His work includes the critically acclaimed Spirited Away (2001), which claimed the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film—not forgetting My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) and Ponyo (2008), among many others. Miyazaki often tells stories that involve worlds of fantasies and characters in a state of struggle, which include people in self-doubt or having an existential crisis and concerns over grief. As for The Boy and the Heron, Miyazaki has added a fantastic film to his body of work. It will leave you with much thought and consideration when trying to deconstruct the narrative of the story and the hidden meanings behind it. There is a straightforward storyline of grief and loneliness that our main character, Mahito, finds challenging and struggles with after losing his mother. But beyond this, so many themes surround the exploration of war and the balance of morality and power; the delicate structure of life is even addressed. There is an element of fresh beginnings and starting over again when Mahito has to learn and adapt by finding his new family.
There is a lot to comprehend and break down, as the film overpowers itself with so many subject matters and ideologies that it can be overwhelming when trying to absorb all the information. The film is so intelligent that its distinctive metaphors could cause confusion or lack of knowledge when trying to understand the movie better. However, Miyazaki only counties his legacy with his latest addition from Studio Ghibli; many of his characteristics are on display, and he surrendered traditional narrative in favour of abstraction. He always seems to surround the audience with this majestic world rather than follow the thin layer of a plot in contrast to meaning and enchantment. But the compacted nature in doing so becomes unclear; instead, we get to admire the beautiful, colourful and detailed animation. The quirkiness never seems to dissolve when Mahito first moves to the countryside with his new mother-to-be, and we meet some characters at the house. We meet a bunch of old, nosey grandmother-type maids who always bring that addition of humour and silliness to the plot. The Heron is introduced to us as this mysterious creature that follows Mahito and knocks on his bedroom window. Eventually, he speaks and lures him into a tower that brings him into a world between worlds, and when we get there, the animation becomes more aesthetic.
The feeling of ache and sadness always seems to be present, even though we get that profound display of creativity, colour and beauty from the animation. No tameness or sugarcoating is involved when dealing with more serious matters, and it contains some disturbing imagery; there are some scenes of self-harm and blood. There is sometimes an odd depiction of the heron grinning his teeth, which felt a little offputting. The music score delivers the required feelings during and around different moods; it can be quite fitting in certain moments. There is always this clever use of wind, and it gets used as it takes us through these grassy fields or the billowing hair of his new mother, and it always seems to add to the impressive scale and beauty that we associate with Miyazaki. He hasn’t lost his sense of humour in this film; it always has that childlike wonder and strangeness to humanity.
Overall: 7.5/10
Movie Reviewer
