*Warning: spoilers ahead*
Like a lot of critics mentioned, I felt the story was overly ambitious for the amount of time the movie has. In particular, I felt the battle between other nations at the climax was rushed and unresolved. The invading nations won, so what is the fate of the support cast? There is also no closure for most of the support casts who had long pass away by the time Maquia returned back to the village to bid her son, Ariel, farewell.
I don't think the story had bad elements per se, but just lacked the extra scenes needed to make the movie whole due to time constraints.
But this is nit-picky of me, because the main focus is on the relationship between Maquia and Ariel. Everything else serves to explore their relationship (which I wish we could have more of!).
I really think the movie is best enjoyed by people who can really empathize with others. Here, we have a 15-year-old immortal who was ripped away from her home and family, and tossed into a foreign world with nothing but a burnt cloth that serves as memoir of her home. It's absolutely devastating and the only thing that gives her purpose to move on is this orphan she picks up from a raided camp.
I'm not a woman, but I could imagine how happy she was to have someone to bond with as family. You get to see how Ariel is attached to his adoptive mom as a child, and how he grows distant in his teens. He doesn't mean to, but he said some mean things that really hurts his mom.
The raw emotions of the characters are so real that it really hurts me, and I found myself crying three times throughout the watch.
I will never forget what my literature teacher taught me: It doesn't matter whether there's a moral to the story, or if there's a specific message the author is trying to convey. What really matters is how YOU can relate to the story and characters; Losing my dad to cancer was the most traumatizing experience I've ever encountered. So hell-yes, I cherish the bond between family members, but I also know how painful partings are.
We are so caught up with everyday life that we take for granted how lucky we are to be among loved ones, and sometimes we regret how we didn't spend enough time with them when it's too late. After watching this, I want to give my mom a kiss on the cheek.
