NB: I'll try to avoid the spoilers as much as possible, but if you're not sure, don't read it before watching the movie.
In the cinema theme of overcoming the most severe loss in the lives of everyone is one of the most difficult to implement. Too easy to drop down to the banal repetition of precepts of the ancient sages or even go away from believable emotions, depriving the viewer of not just the answers, but even a simple empathy to heroes. No wonder that both in live-action and animation few authors dare to even approach it. In Makoto Shinkai's "Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo"
...
this topic continues theme of parting loving hearts of his previous works, but it does so in an unexpected setting, clearly reminiscent of "adult fairy tales" of Hayao Miyazaki.
The first thing one can say about the film - its visual component is simply breathtaking. These words can be applied to both animation and design. Previous films of this director were also very rich with details, but here, in fantastic Agartha, such attention creates a stunning effect. Every second the picture plays with light, colors and shapes, masterfully using 3D animation, where necessary, and creating fantastic immersive experience. And while the roots of many design elements can easily be seen, they acquire here such a new charm, that the movie holds the stage until the very end.
The other sides of the film are more ambiguous. The plot takes a quick start, jumping at a gallop speed from scene to scene. The first 20 minutes take approximately the same pace of events as the rest of the movie. And here one of the director's weaknesses become evident, which he obviously did not manage to completely overcome - the inability to combine individual dynamic episodes into a smooth and solid sequence. Despite the fact that the beginning of the film shows us all that it should be in a prologue - everyday life of Asuna, her acquaintanceship with the other main characters and events that give impetus to the main plot, the absence of natural transitions not only evokes a sense of theatricality and staging of what is happening but also calls into question the reliability of experience and motivation of Asuna, who made such a difficult journey. It takes too little time to develop relationships of characters for a viewer to believe in such a strong attachment of them to each other, which is like a red thread going through the whole picture.
Music only reinforces this impression. Shinkai's permanent composer Tenmon decided this time to move away from the calm and soulful melodies of the previous films, resulting in every second scene accompanied by loud epic composition. Such pathos really makes an impression when it is used moderately and appropriately. On the contrary, here we have an emotional soundtrack which is often does not correspond to what's happening on screen, and in the viewer's perception music moves into the background, not emphasizing the really important moments in the climax.
As soon as the plot develops, it becomes increasingly clear how little of the potential of the film's setting is used. Information about the life and history of Agartha is being given dryly and very schematically. The same can be said about the past of the protagonists: the relevant scenes and remarks, though sometimes decorated like character's memories, rather resemble the notes in everyday conversation, the topic of which concerns something completely different. I believe there is only a single scene in the whole movie where country's people and villages are portrayed not as scenery, introduced by director just for the sake of the story. Unlike Idzoku tribe, which plays a key role in the storyline - in spite of their mystique, the origins and motives of creatures, so alien at first glance in this world, are left behind the screen.
Nevertheless, the one can somewhat empathize to characters, because their desires are clear and understandable. Following along with the story till the end, we come to the message of the film. And I must say, I was expecting something more here. Of course, under the given artificial conditions set by the author, the actions of the characters can be easily divided into right and wrong ones. However, what was the point in all that mess if all the director wanted is to show us something so obvious while not digging into the main question? "You are as naive as that visitor from the Upper World", the village Elder blames Sin. In turn, we can blame of naivete the Elder and, further, maestro Shinkai himself, which brought up a global problem, but instead of at least try to solve it, hit the peripheral ethical issues.
Summing up, I can not say that the film touched me. The unambiguous bright side of the movie is its astonishing beauty and concept. Shinkai could create a masterpiece on this basis, but it did not work. Instead, he made "just" a good adventure film, which can certainly take its place in the collection of every fan of animation. And it is not that bad, is it?
Nov 4, 2011
Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo
(Anime)
add
NB: I'll try to avoid the spoilers as much as possible, but if you're not sure, don't read it before watching the movie.
In the cinema theme of overcoming the most severe loss in the lives of everyone is one of the most difficult to implement. Too easy to drop down to the banal repetition of precepts of the ancient sages or even go away from believable emotions, depriving the viewer of not just the answers, but even a simple empathy to heroes. No wonder that both in live-action and animation few authors dare to even approach it. In Makoto Shinkai's "Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo" ... |
