Jan 11, 2024
The Boy and the Heron is Hayao Miyazaki's worst movie, but greatest work of art.
It’s certainly not a film for everyone, but those who are fans of Miyazaki's past work should appreciate it for what it is: a heartfelt treatise on the creative process, and a deep dive into the very soul of Miyakazi's creations.
The Boy and the Heron bears many hallmarks of Miyazaki's best. It entertains with beautiful visuals and sound design, and its obsessive attention to detail bristles like crumbs beneath a bread knife, and sparks within the countless trails of a freshly-bursting firework.
But its story, the bones to its cinematic meat,
...
falls palpably and frustratingly short. Pacing is all over the place. The world feels random and often poorly or lazily developed. Characters and plot devices seemingly materialize out of nowhere, with barely a mention as to "how" or let alone "why."
I, for one, found myself slouching in my seat and furrowing my brow, while a previously inconceivable question blared through my mind.
"Did Miyazaki lose his touch?"
But then the movie explodes into its final act. And even as the world within the movie crumbles away, all the disparate and convoluted elements of the past two hours are instantly pulled together. Wondrously. Breathtakingly.
And then it hits you.
This movie wasn't meant for you. At least, not in the way that you thought it was meant for you, when you first walked through the doors of the theater. Miyazaki didn't write this movie with the intent to "wow" you with a hero's journey, or to serenade you with a burgeoning romance. Instead, he wrote it to tell us about himself.
It's an autobiography, written like a letter. A letter to his fans; to his coworkers; to his son.
It's about pride. It's about coming to terms with brokenness. It's about gaining appreciation for the people who support you. It's about grappling with the demons that dwell in one's imagination, and being tortured by the beautiful shadows of one's very own creations.
And, perhaps most importantly of all, it's about loss and love. It’s about his mother, who dwells so conspicuously in all of Miyazaki's works.
Indeed, if you decide to watch this film, I highly recommend you watch NHK's four-part documentary, "10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki," before you head to the theater. The insight it provides will make this experience all the more profound.
The Boy and the Heron is not a masterpiece. It's not even a particularly enjoyable movie. But as a reflection on the creator's personal legacy, and as an allegorical goodbye...
Nothing else comes remotely close.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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