DVD Corner

The Boy And The Heron 4K UHD Review

Love Miyazaki. Don’t love “The Boy And The Heron.”

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, “The Boy And The Heron” is set during 1942 and revolves around a grieving young boy named Mahito. After losing his mother (Hisako) in a fire, Mahito lives with his father and his new wife (Hisako’s sister Natsuko) in a remote location. While there Mahito begins to experience strange things including a mysterious abandoned tower, a talking heron who is not what he seems, and ghostly appearances of his mother. Stranger still, Mahito soon finds himself whisked away to islands where he meets spirits, a fisherwoman (Kiriko), giant fish, doors to other worlds, pelicans, parakeets, a wizard, an unstable world, and a woman who just might be his mother. Where does it all go? That would be telling.

What is there to say about Hayao Miyazaki that hasn’t already been said? He’s the undisputed master of Japanese animation. He’s a visionary filmmaker who has made some of the most beloved animated films of all time such as “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.” Even though he has talked of retirement numerous times, Miyazaki is back with his latest effort “The Boy And The Heron.” Unfortunately, this Studio Ghibli entry didn’t quite speak to me like his past works.

Let me state up front that “The Boy And The Heron” is by no means a poor film. It did win an Oscar for Best Animated Film after all. With that said, even the weakest Miyazaki film is still worth investing your time in. And who knows, it just might take time to connect with. Other films in Miyazaki’s filmography certainly have. At this juncture though, “The Boy And The Heron” left me cold. Sure, it’s filled with Miyazaki’s unique imagination and it goes without saying that it’s another beautifully animated work filled with lush landscapes and oddball imagery (a giant fish and the Warawara come to mind), but the 123 minute long animated feature wears out its welcome rather quickly. The main issue is that the lead character Mahito is a wooden character. Miyazaki’s films tend to be littered with wonderful lead characters like Ponyo, Kiki, Porco Rosso, and so on, but Mahito is quite frankly dull. We know he is going through a tragic period in his life, but he rarely conveys emotions. If we (the audience) are taking this emotional and spiritual journey with Mahito, it helps to be able to invest in his character, but the story makes it difficult to do so. He’s simply not a very active protagonist.

The plot (which takes far too long to get going) is also a strange blend of both Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises” and “Spirited Away” in more than a few ways. This story is perhaps more dreamlike and mysterious, but a lot of the themes and ideas present in Miyazaki’s work reappear here. The fantastical events that do transpire feel a bit convoluted. It’s clear they mainly exist to further Mahito’s quest to move forward in life after suffering a devastating loss. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? The 4K certainly delivers as the colors look incredibly rich.

Audio Track: Japanese and English Dolby Atmos. How do they sound? The English track is a solid dub if that’s your thing, but it’s best to stick to the crisp original language Japanese track. 

Extras (On The Blu-ray):
* Blu-ray copy
* Mini-poster
* A booklet with proposal notes.
* Feature-length storyboards
* 3 separate interviews with composer Joe Hisaishi, producer Toshiro Suzuki and supervising animator Takeshi Honda
* “Spinning Globe” music video.
* Intro teaser, teaser 1, trailer 1, teaser 2, trailer 2, and 4 TV spots.
* “Drawing With Takeshi Honda”- The supervising animator draws various characters.

July 13, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | animation, Anime, Hayao Miyazaki, Oscars, Studio Ghibli, The Boy And The Heron 4K UHD Review