-Written by John Cajio.
Castle in the Sky is a film that does not suck. While it might not quite rise to the heights of Writer-Director Hayao Miyazaki’s previous film (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind), Castle in the Sky is still a tour de force that grapples with the philosophical intersection of nature and technology, all the while presenting the viewer with an inspired art direction, vibrant and likable characters, and another rousing score from composer Joe Hisaishi. Forced humor at times, an overly long second act, and uneven vocal performances of the English language dub keep it a little too grounded.
The film opens entertainingly enough on an massive airship being attacked by pirates in small, nimble ornithopters. Young Sheeta (Keiko Yokozawa/Anna Paquin) uses the chaos created by the attack to knock out her captor. She attempts to escape but falls thousands of feet to the earth. A crystal looped around her neck, a family heirloom, glows mysteriously and slows her fall. She winds up unconscious, but safe, in the arms of equally young miner Pazu (Mayumi Tanaka/James Van Der Beek). Together, they embark on a perilous journey to Laputa, the titular and mythical castle in the sky—assuming it exists. All the while, the Dola Gang of pirates, lead by their matriarch, Dola (Kotoe Hatsui/Cloris Leachman), and regional soldiers led by the powerful Muska (Minori Terada/Mark Hamill) give chase, each for their own purposes.
The art direction in Castle in the Sky is inspiring. There are sweeping land vistas of great chasms with homes built directly into the cliff sides. The influence of Jules Verne seems omnipresent, with steampunk and dieselpunk inspired trains, automobiles, and airships of all shapes and sizes (from the aforementioned ornithopters used by the Dola gang to the aptly named Goliath in use by Muska and his men). So striking are the designs of the airships in this film that they have heavily influenced airship design in a variety of mediums since then (the legendary video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi, for example, cited Castle in the Sky as the primary inspiration for the airship designs that appear in their respective franchises: Super Mario Bros. and Final Fantasy). Character designs are expressive and emotive. In short, every scene is a visual feast.
The characters are generally likable. Pazu is earnest and passionate. He is a skilled miner who also happens to play the trumpet like a pro. He does not hesitate to support Sheeta in her quest. For herself, Sheeta proves equally competent. Dola may be a pirate, but she’s a pirate with something of a heart of gold.
There is a scene downright disturbing in the context of today’s modern society, and so is worth mentioning to potential viewers. At one point, Pazu and Sheeta temporarily team up with Dola and her gang. Her gang consists primarily of her grown sons, who begin fawning over Sheeta, a young teenager, in a way that is downright disturbing (one of the sons professes his love for Sheeta, for example). To her credit, Sheeta fends off the would-be romantics with ease. Works of fiction demand that we suspend our disbelief for a period of time and accept what is presented as true, factual, and, in many cases, morally acceptable. But this revelation from the movie knocked me out of my suspension of disbelief for a while. I found myself disgusted and, importantly, I don’t think I was supposed to be disgusted. I think I was supposed to find it adorable somehow, but I certainly did not. There is some evidence to suggest that this is primarily an issue with the translation from the original Japanese (apparently, they dote on her like a younger version of their mother in the original instead of displaying a romantic interest).
As I mentioned at the top of the review, Castle in the Sky wrestles with the philosophical intersection of nature and technology. Is it possible for nature and technology (with technology serving as a stand-in for humanity perhaps) to coexist peaceably? Or are they forever at war with one another, driven to the occasional stalemate or ceasefire perhaps, but perennially at odds in an absolutely fundamental way? These are some of the questions the film presents, and I suspect that I will find myself contemplating these questions for a while yet. And these, I think, are questions worth musing on
In the end, Castle in the Sky is a wonderfully ambitious film with breathtaking settings, interesting characters, and vitally important philosophical questions that demand our time long after the movie ends. Forced humor in the first act (which also puts it at odds with the much more serious second and third acts), uneven English language performances (Hamill is consistently terrific while Van Der Beek occasionally leaves something to be desired), and a sluggish second act keep the film from reaching the same dizzying heights as its predecessor. But you’re still in for a damn good time.
Written and Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
Starring Mayumi Tanaka/James Van Der Beek, Keiko Yokozawa/Anna Paquin, Kotoe Hatsui/Cloris Leachman, Minori Terada/Mark Hamill, etc.
7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING (IT DOES NOT SUCK)
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