The Boy and the Heron is an amalgamation of Miyazkaki's storytelling trademarks, such as the fantastical worldbuilding of Spirited Away, the calm nature of My Neighbor Totoro, and the bleak seriousness of Princess Mononoke, all refined into a fresh and compelling narrative, with his personal touches to the protagonist's characterisation.
This protagonist is named Mahito, and Miyazaki successfully establishes him as sympathetic. Losing his mother in a fire and the grief he has to deal with got me emotionally invested in his journey, and I do have to commend both his reserved emotions, and how his self-harm at the beginning becomes symbolic near the end. This is also on top of the strong interactions of those who accompany his journey in both universes, including the wise maid Kiriko, and the great Heron himself.
It should be noted that The Boy and the Heron was seven years in the making, and all that precious time was well-spent in bringing this picture to life. As expected from a Studio Ghibli production, the classic hand-drawn animation is a sight to behold, filled with lush background, strong designs on both humans and anthropomorphized creatures, great use of effects, and every frame of character animation refined to perfection. And of course, no Miyazaki movie would be complete without the great Joe Hisaishi providing music, providing the perfect balance between whimsical and haunting ("The Great Collapse" being a personal highlight for me).
For my screening, I decided to seek out the English dub by GKIDS. The actors in this dub greatly complement the movie's high storytelling standards and portray their feelings authentically. Luca Padovan for example, is perfect as Mahito, embodying the maturity of an older child and does well to convey the character's quietness and and aggressiveness when appropriate. As for Robert Pattinson, you can permanently say goodbye to his Twilight days, because this is celebrity casting done masterfully. You wouldn't even believe that's Pattinson voicing the Herone, because his exaggerated accent of the bird is really that good.
One nitpicky thing I'd think is that The Boy and the Heron is a dense movie with a lot to take in, so multiple viewings would be beneficial to comprehend everything it presents. But if something this amazing encourages re-watches with long-lasting appeal, I'd say that's a good thing.
I was so lucky to book the last available seat for my full screening, and that made me glad to see how this movie is doing very well with audiences. This is a Studio Ghibli movie by Hayao Miyazaki we're talking about, and just like all his other works, The Boy and the Heron truly soars.
