Hayao Miyazaki has created many films for Studio Ghibli. His latest, which he came out of retirement to make, is The Boy and the Heron. With classics like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro under his belt, this new flick has a lot to live up to. Does The Boy and the Heron reach the heights of the best Studio Ghibli movies? Let’s explore deeper to find out.

The Good

The animation in The Boy and the Heron is nothing short of spectacular. Every shot is absolutely breathtaking. The movements of the characters, water, crumbling buildings, and other elements are done masterfully. Seeing them on the big screen completely sucks the audience into this gorgeous-looking movie. It’s probably the best animation that the folks at Studio Ghibli have been able to pull off.

The score throughout the film is just as much of an accomplishment. It’s one of the most beautiful scores to come out of the movie realm in a while. It guides the tone of the film while also evoking emotion itself. It elevates the level of emotion that this already-emotional film offers, making everything feel that much more powerful.

The story of The Boy and the Heron is every bit whimsical and imaginative as any Studio Ghibli fan would hope for. The imagery and ideas are creative and truly unique. On top of that, this story is filled with heart. There are plenty of emotional moments that audiences of all ages can relate to and empathize with. It’s an overall charming film.

There are also plenty of surprises throughout the movie. Even if you figure something out before it’s revealed, there’s no shortage of twists and shocking moments that will keep you invested for the full runtime. Certain revelations even add quite a bit of extra excitement to the film as well.

This delightful tale is brilliantly written in a way that makes one think, but it’s never difficult to understand. Questioning what is really happening, thinking, and predicting what will occur next leads to more immersion. Having the audience use their brain leads to quite a bit of satisfying payoff as well. It never dumbs itself down or talks down to the audience, which is quite nice.

The voice performances (this is based on the dubbed version) are incredibly impressive. All of the cast put their all into their performances rather than just reading the lines in their generic voices. Robert Pattinson is particularly unrecognizable in his role. They all bring these fantastical characters to life, give each of them their own voice, and add a welcome amount of emotion to them. This movie is a shining example as to why there needs to be an Oscar category for voice acting.

The Bad

The pacing in the beginning of the film is a bit on the slow side. It drags a tiny bit, but it’s actually kind of worth it because it makes the rest of the movie that much more interesting and even bonkers at times. It’s just worth mentioning that it takes a little bit before things really get going.

Conclusion

The Boy and the Heron is an imaginative adventure with breathtaking visuals and a heartfelt and thought-provoking story. It’s endlessly enjoyable, and is a must-see for just about any type of audience.

Rating: 10/10

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