“The Boy and the Heron” is the latest Japanese animated feature from writer/director Hayao Miyazaki who has made such acclaimed and beloved films in this genre as Princess “Mononoke,” “Spirited Away,” and “Howl’s Moving Castle.”
Miyazaki has an animation style that is steeped in fantastical imagery. His stories and characters delve into mankind’s interaction with the natural world and give the art and the technical a sense of profundity. The characters are often portrayed as simultaneously strong yet vulnerable when it comes to the protagonists. The villains have a great degree of moral ambiguity.
If you’re already acquainted with Miyazaki’s work, this will be right up your alley. If not, you should check it out.
Based on the book of the same name, “The Boy and the Heron” takes place in 1943 Toyko during the Pacific War. A young boy named Mahito witnesses the death of his mother after a vicious fire. Mahito’s father, Shoichi, takes his young son to a home far away from the city where the boy can deal with his grief. His father also remarries, which causes Mahito to learn how to deal with his new mother.
Mahito encounters a grey heron that won’t leave him alone. He also meets an architect named Kiriko under a mysterious tower, and she tells him that his mother is still alive. Mahito is skeptical of the news but decides to take her words on faith and begins a quest to find her. The Heron joins him, much to the boy’s chagrin.
Anyone who is familiar with Miyazaki’s films will instantly recognize the animation as he concocts some bizarre and even disturbing sequences, such as the aforementioned mother’s death and even scenes where Mahito is surrounded by frogs and pelicans. There are also sequences involving bubble-like creatures that may seem silly to non-fans but to Miyazaki fans, are a welcome delight.
“The Boy and the Heron” is being released in both dubbed English and its native tongue of Japanese with subtitles. For those who see it in English, you might recognize the voicework of Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, Mark Hamill, Willem Dafoe, and Florence Pugh.
It is an absorbing experience.
Miyazaki has an eye for creating worlds that are incredible but also beautifully realistic. The animation is crisp and lively in scene after scene with remarkable, haunting images.
The characters and strong writing are given the necessary detail to engross the audience. There’s convincing pathos to these people and the stakes are genuine to where we hope Mahito finds his mother and hopefully returns to his world in one piece.
Miyazaki may make this film his swan song, and if so, he leaves behind an inspiring legacy that others will want to emulate but ultimately can never duplicate.
This is a film that is visually impressive, but beyond that, it leaves us with a sensitive, thoughtful story and characters that have much more dimension in animation than if it were live-action.
Grade: A-
(Rated PG-13 for some violent content/bloody images and smoking.)
