Everyone, today, we are going to be diving back into the anime world, known as Studio Ghibli! And not only that, but it is directed by Studio Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki (who directed Spirited Away, and many other films in this animation library). What’s more is that this Studio Ghibli movie recently won a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature. So now, let’s discuss the Golden Globe Award winner in the animation category, The Boy & The Heron.
Plot: During the Pacific War (aka World War II), a young boy named Mahito Maki (Luca Padovan), and his father Shoichi (Christian Bale), along with his father’s wife Natsuko (Gemma Chan), who is the sister of his late wife, evacuate from Tokyo to Natsuko’s rural estate. One day, when a gray heron (Robert Pattinson) appears, and reveals a shocking secret to Mahito, they embark on an adventure into an oceanic world in another dimension. Throughout this process, will the troubled Mahito end up finding peace with his family, other people around him, and with himself in the end?
So, is The Boy & The Heron another masterpiece from Studio Ghibli, or is this film rather overrated in the end? Well, for the most part, one could probably see why this film has won a Golden Globe, and may also win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. This film is not quite perfect, but is still very good. First off, for those of us who are familiar with films from Studio Ghibli, we may realize that the studio takes real life settings, and sets them into a world of animation, and with fantasy elements. Case in point, films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and others, for instance. Well, gang, The Boy & The Heron is no exception. This film takes a realistic time period, like The Pacific War (aka World War II, and knows how to be creative with the story. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hayao Miyazaki took inspiration from authors like C.S. Lewis, especially with his Chronicles Of Narnia book series, when directing these Japanese animated films. You got me! Anyway, so what makes this latest offering from Studio Ghibli good, and worth your time? Well, there is the animation. Honestly, I’m not sure if this, or the studio’s other films are truly anime, or if they’re a mix of anime, and American animation. I say that because, well, when you look at the movement of people walking, and running in a movie like this one, or even the grass seating in the wind, and more, it feels like the style seems to lean a little toward the side of American animation. Well, maybe you guys should watch a full-on anime movie, or show, and a full-on American one, and let me know what you think regarding that. One way, or another, the animation is gorgeous. I heard it took the filmmakers seven years to make this film. This, along with storytelling, and other elements serve as proof of how hard they worked to make this film to perfection as much as possible. Well, that leads to the story. The story, though a little too sad at times, is very well done. Like you like the characters from the start, especially main characters Mahito Maki, and the Grey Heron. Honestly, once the Grey Heron comes on the scene, the film ends up being more fun, and engaging. I mean the Heron, once he came on the scene maybe 20 minutes into the film, or shortly after, just stole the show from beginning to end. He has creative scenes, and has quite a few hilarious moments in a lot of scenes that he’s in. Mahito Maki also is a likable character too. Maybe not as hilarious as the Heron, but still very good. He also may make some clumsy mistakes in this film as well. Still, throughout the journey that he, and the Heron go through, Mahito successfully grows as a character. This is especially proven during a scene near the end of the film. Again, I won’t spoil what happens. However, let’s just say that in this scene that you all will have to see for yourselves, he goes from acting careless, and somewhat negligent, and maybe even arrogant, to being humble, and admitting that he shouldn’t perform certain tasks that don’t sound right, or that he’s not worthy of having an honor of this position, or that position. As for the other characters, they’re really good too, including Mahito’s relatives, and other characters that appear around the middle to end of the film. As for the story overall, again, you can tell that the filmmakers, and animators really did put their heart, and soul into making no this film as good as possible. Through the art of animation, facial expressions, situations that were built upon, and more, there was a very good amount of character development, good development of the story, and more. Oh, and did I forget to mention that there are some very intriguing twists, and turns throughout this film as well? Not often that you hear of that in an animated film, now, is it!?! Anyhow, the climax was also very interesting, and certain aspects of the ending, both shocking, and interesting at the same time. Honestly, the one area in which this film could have been better is that there were a couple plot points around the middle, and near the end of the film that probably could have made more sense than they did in the end. If they made sense to you, then let’s have a discussion about them. Thanks! It didn’t hurt the movie, at least not by much. Just having those plot points make more sense could have made the movie a little better than it was in the end.
And that’s my review for The Boy & The Heron. Looking back, was this film good in the end? Well, yes, for sure. Is this film both Golden Globe, and maybe even Oscar worthy? Well, considering that this film is going up against other animated films of this past year, Wish, Elemental, Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse, and more, well, let’s just say that Spiderverse was still very good. Still, since The Boy & The Heron was good, and because this film took seven years to make, it was probably for the best that Boy & The Heron won the Golden Globe in the end. It has beautiful animation, fun characters, unexpected twists, and turns, a good premise, and all the good qualities that make for a good film period. Yes, having a couple plot points slightly set the film back from perfection. Still, when it comes to films that don’t have an engaging, or memorable storyline period, complaints for this movie pale in comparison to those situations in movies. That being said, if you haven’t seen The Boy & The Heron, I would highly recommend that you do. You will truly have a great time with this film. That is especially in an age when companies like Disney, and likely other companies have started to put quantity over quality as of the past year, or two, if not more. All to say, if you ever get a chance, go see The Boy & The Heron, and see what you think!
Final Grade: A
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 