How can a child fail a mother? This is one of the main questions we are asked The Boy and the Heronnew movie Studio Ghibli, and the most recent film directed by Hayao Miyazaki after his 1000th retirement from the industry. After years of waiting and a non-existent advertising campaign in Japan, the feature film will hit theaters in Mexico on December 28th, 2023, and I recently had the opportunity to attend a screening to experience the work, and here I say if it’s worth it or not. No.
The Boy and the Heron It begins with a shocking incident. During World War II, Mahito, a 12-year-old boy, loses his mother in a fire. This unfortunate event forces the young man and his father to move to a small rural town on the outskirts of Tokyo. Besides facing a new social situation, our hero has to accept his new mother. While this all seems impossible, Mahito must put aside all his doubts to rescue his father’s new wife after she is kidnapped by a strange talking heron.
yes ok The Boy and the Heron What begins as what could be considered realistic, especially considering the context in which the story develops and the events that spawned the film, eventually transports us to a world full of magic and fantasy that is not just an excuse to explore some of Mahito’s trauma, but It’s a visual delight that showcases the talent we find at Studio Ghibli.
Every scene is spectacular. In this sense, the way the animation studio uses the color red and strokes to give new life to the fire stands out immediately. It’s one of the main sections of the story, and it’s impressive not only in the way this element appears on screen, especially in big action moments, but also in the way it’s used as a narrative point. Our hero’s journey.
When we talk about Miyazaki’s work, there are several elements that we can quickly associate, such as Shintoism and the use of metaphors to talk about mourning and the maturation process. Even though these elements are always present, each of his stories, even those adaptations of already known works, never seem to copy each other. However, with The Boy and the Heron It is impossible not to think directly Spirited away. That’s not a negative thing, but it’s something that’s always been on my mind, since both films share more than a series of character elements.
At the end of the day, The Boy and the Heron It is one of the best animated films of the year. It’s highly entertaining, fun, lets all viewers’ imaginations fly, represents the return of one of the best animation directors, and is a visually impeccable piece of work. While it’s true that this film doesn’t offer anything new and its story is something we’ve already seen in the past, it’s the execution of ideas we already know that makes it special. The over two hour duration isn’t heavy, and in the end I would have liked to see more of this world.
As if that wasn’t enough, the dubbing in Latin Spanish is very well done. Emilio Treviño, whom we have already heard as production Monster Slayer e invincible, is superb as Mahito, who manages to give us a work that is capable of being reserved and emotional as the story demands. Along with that, the rest of the cast consisting of Alfonso Herrera, Elizabeth Infante, Gerardo Garcia and many more do a good job keeping everyone entertained and I never thought the original audio was better.
Don’t hesitate, go to the cinema to enjoy The Boy and the HeronA film that will be available in Mexico from December 28, 2023.
