HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE
Interestingly, this mobile home is not owned by a redneck
Review by: Craig "Van Down By the River" Norris
Length: 2 hour movie
Genre: Fantasy, romance
Watched: All, dubbed
I'm not someone who easily buys into hype, so I took all the proclamations of Hayao Miyazaki as the greatest anime director of the modern era with a grain of salt. However, I couldn't help but be curious as to what all the fuss was about. After being fairly impressed with Spirited Away, I decided to give this more recent film a look-see, to find out if the quality remained consistent. While Howl's Moving Castle didn't prompt me to fall to my knees in worship of its director, my high opinion of his work was most decidedly reinforced.
Plot synopsis: On the way to visit her sister, Sophie, a modest girl who works at a hat shop, has a run-in with two imposing soldiers. Luckily for her, a charismatic young sorcerer named Howl whisks her to safety. Jealous of the attention that Howl has given to the very plain Sophie, the Witch of the Waste casts a spell on her, turning her into an elderly woman. To break the spell, Sophie seeks out Howl and his magnificent moving castle. However, as Sophie meets Howl and his companions, she realizes that she is not the only one who has had a powerful spell placed on her.
Artwork: Anyone with previous exposure to Miyazaki should know what they're going to be treated to visually: a wide range of character designs residing in a magnificently rendered and detailed realm. The film looks fantastic, with only minimal help from computer generated imaging. Particularly impressive are the facial expressions, which tend to more adequately convey a character's mood than the words they speak. Great detail, great flow, and great use of color make the animation in this film truly top notch.
Music: I was very impressed by the music. It does a great job of matching the mood and the onscreen actions, but it goes beyond that, with the richly composed orchestral tracks becoming just as noticeable as the animation. There's really nothing sensational or cutting-edge about the music; it is simply well placed and well executed. The high quality music is a contributing factor to the very timeless quality of the film.
Characters: Once again, Miyazaki bases a movie around an ordinary person placed in an extraordinary situation. The main character is Sophie, an underconfident but level-headed girl. In fact, at times she seems a bit too level-headed. When she is first turned into an old woman, she barely bats an eyelash. I can't even begin to describe the magnitude of the freak-out I would experience if I checked the mirror and found out that I suddenly looked like Mr. Burns. Her situation causes a fierce determination to arise within her, and at times it seems like all the magic in the world wouldn't be enough to stop her. Howl is a wizard who has pledged his service to two kings, and is thus placed in dire straits when he is called upon by both kings to fight against the other. On the surface he seems very self-assured and carefree, but he is racked with deep inner turmoil due to a spell he himself fell under. The Witch of the Waste is a lumbering blob of a woman who will stop at nothing to possess Howl's heart. She seems very cruel and vengeful at first, but reveals herself to have very human qualities as well. She is not so much reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West, as her name may have one believe, as she is of another Hollywood icon. Howl is assisted in his moving castle by Calcifer, a fire demon who is the main energy source, and Markl, an apprentice wizard who quickly comes to view Sophie as a sister/mother/grandmother figure. Not only are the characters entertaining, they also develop and mature along the way, proving that a good anime is not just about high production values.
Plot: Despite all of Miyazaki's nuances, the plot is fairly basic. I like the fact that the plot is well organized and incorporates many elements, but is simple enough so that not much thought is required to understand and enjoy it. One aspect I thought could have been explained a little better was the setting. It is a society that is reminiscent of colonial America, but contains some very pseudo-futuristic, and of course magical, aspects as well. Also, a recurring plot point is the ongoing war between kingdoms, but it is never fully explained what the nature of the war is or how and when it all started. Maybe the lack of explanation about this point is meant to signify that war is trite and meaningless, one of his recurring themes. Regardless, I would have appreciated it if the setting was not quite as vague.
CHICKS!: Well, there's only one that gets significant screen time, and she's not too bad. That is, when she doesn't appear old enough to be a nursing home resident. Sophie's almost inhuman coolness under pressure is most certainly enviable, but she's far from an ice princess, as her distress still manages to manifest itself in the occasional emotional outburst. Her well-rounded emotions make her seem very three-dimensional. Speaking of dimensions, her younger self is quite attractive, despite the fact that she seems to think she is very plain and unremarkable. I have to disagree with her on that, as I find her slinky figure and pigtailed hair to be very pretty. Granted, I've seen cuter and I've seen hotter, but her personality is the major selling point here.
Overall: There are many fantasy anime on the market, and there are even more romance anime. However, even if one has been jaded by both genres, this film is still an excellent choice, as something new waits the viewer at every turn. Of course, fans of Miyazaki more than likely won't be disappointed either, as several of his trademarks are present here. Speaking not as a rabid Miyazaki fanboy, but as someone who appreciates good anime, I'd be foolish not to recommend this title to almost everyone I know.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Very high production values
+ Well developed characters
+ Miyazaki is pretty darned good
- Vague setting
Rating: 8.5/10
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