The latest animated film from Studios Ghibli is released in theaters this Wednesday, November 1, 2023. “The Boy and the Heron” virtuosoly displays the talents of storyteller Miyazaki, who came out of retirement especially for the occasion. Our opinion.
Animated studio films Ghibli are always religiously awaited by critics and the public. That we discovered these Japanese productions with Porco Rosso, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited away or more recently Princess Kaguya And The Howl’s Moving Castlethe films of the studio founded by Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki in 1985 have become events that suspend time in the dark room.
The creator of the biggest Ghibli hits, Hayao Miyazaki, officially announced his retirement with The wind picks up in 2013. Ten years later, the 82-year-old Japanese filmmaker returns with a new film, The boy and the heron. Released without any promotion in Japan a few months ago, it is visible in France this Wednesday 1er November 2023. Spectators follow the initiatory story of Mahito, a young boy who has just lost his mother in a fire, and who meets a heron who will help him unravel the mysteries of the world and life .
The boy and the heron is a true gem of animation. With this new feature film, Hayao Miyazaki deploys his talents as a storyteller in a work as abundant as it is ambitious. The filmmaker immerses us in a fantastic journey (or a daydream) that addresses several complex themes, such as mourning, resilience, legacy and the ability of each person to move forward despite the obstacles of life and the chaos of the world that confronts us. surrounded.
A film split in two
The first part of The boy and the heron, focusing on Mahito’s adjustment to his new life after his mother’s death, is breathtaking. Literally. Hayao Miyazaki concentrates the essence of his work (the threatening irruption of the fantastic in a fragile and incomprehensible real world) with meticulous attention to drawing, sound effects and silence. The feathers of a heron in flight, the destructive flames, the hot rays of the sun, the blowing wind, all these sensations are more palpable and become more poetic than a live action film.
The second part of the film, the one which immerses us in a fantastic world (we won’t say more so as not to spoil the pleasure), is much more abundant and vibrant, but also a little more uneven. Mahito embarks on a metaphysical quest without downtime, which will in many ways be reminiscent of certain David Lynch films. If the whole thing certainly does not lack panache, it remains more confused in its message. The fault lies in the absence of a common thread in our hero’s journey which would allow the spectator to become fully involved.
Despite this small flaw, The Boy and the Heron nevertheless remains a gripping cinematic experience, a superb journey into the imagination of this filmmaker adored throughout the world. And he also says that he is already working on another film, for our greatest pleasure.