Film Review: Howl's Moving Castle (2005) B

Date Viewed: 6/14/06
Venue: DVD

I’ve got to start by saying I’m not a fan a Japanimation or anime. I thought so-called masterpieces Akira and Princess Monoke were, well, just alright. But I can safely say I enjoyed, not loved, but thoroughly enjoyed Howl’s Moving Castle.

A corpulent witch turns simple young girl into an old lady who falls in love with a mysteriously self-indulgent and insecure wizard named Howl. Unsurprisingly, Howl might be the only one who can break the witch’s curse.

There’s far more to this fantasy than that, but that’s the clearest way my simple American brain can break it down for you. This is definitely not a traditional three-act story.

The film does have many of the spiritual trappings of other animated Japanese films, but here they’re used symbolically instead of being integral to the story. Not being Japanese,, and not well schooled in Asian spirituality, too many of these elements fail to resonate with me the way they should in other films. I had less of a problem with their use in Howl’s Moving Castle because they’re not essential plot points. That’s not to say I entirely understood all the symbolism, but if nothing else I could appreciate it visually without worrying about losing track of story.

The actual animation is quite good with many stunning vistas and impressive views. Lighting and environments are particularly well done. Character design is just okay, I never once felt like I was seeing something I hadn’t seen somewhere else before.

What really works in this movie is the strength of the characters. They’re deeper and more three-dimensional than I expected. And it must be noted I watched the Japanese language version with English subtitles. I know there’s a perfectly good English dub with Lauren Bacall, Christian Bale and the like, but I always prefer native language and subtitles, too much can get lost in translation and performance.

Howl’s Moving Castle draws you in slowly, first with scenic beauty, then with impressive characterizations. To top it off there’s a certain charm in the way the story sort of meanders and takes it’s time. This is a unique film and worth checking out.