Rating of
3/4
One of the Weaker Miyazaki Films
Franz Patrick - wrote on 06/08/08
I think this is one of the weaker Hayao Miyazaki films but it's still pretty good when it comes to the bigger picture of animated films. Since most of Miyazaki's pictures are always timeless, getting an above average story feels like a complete letdown. This kind of reminded me of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds" because there's a lot of flying and there are commentaries about the preservation of nature. I did like the hyperkinetic energy that it posesses with a ten to fifteen minute interval inbetween action sequences. I just wish that it was stranger and had more heart like "Spirited Away." I think this movie would have worked better if this was made today or if it was a live-action film because there are definitely worthy eye-popping visual effects. Overall, it was a bit too long for my liking because I feel like they could have cut out some of the middle portion of the film in order to reduce it to a brief, hour and thirty minute thrill ride. But at the same time, this isn't a bad film so I will ultimately recommend it.
