I think that perhaps my higher expectations for the show ruined my enjoyment of it ultimately. Don't get me wrong, the movie was very good. The art, atmosphere, and everything is on par with the classics.
What left me hanging was in the character development field, where things were just too predictable. I was hoping for a less simplistic character development than what the online preview presented. However, the overall direction followed what was expected, with very few surprises. The developing bond between the two main characters also seemed to occur less natural than in a Miyazaki movie. Perhaps some slight tweaking of pacing would have made this better.
Aside from this one weak point, the rest of the movie was quite enjoyable. The scenes, the way the world was set up, was all very thought provoking. The twist at the end of the movie was foreshadowed a bit too early for me, so it wasn't as surprising.
For now, I would rate it an 8 overall, but I have a feeling it will be a 9 in the future if I were to come back to the movie in a year or so, with tempered expectations.
