-Written by John Cajio.
Porco Rosso is a film that does not suck. There’s plenty of drama and fun to be had while watching this film about an anthropomorphic pig. Occasionally, however, the film leans a little too much into the absurd that it detracts from the real drama of the story it wants to tell. All in all, Porco Rosso is another feather in the caps of Studio Ghibli and Writer-Director Hayao Miyazaki.
Porco Rosso centers around a former war pilot turned aerial bounty hunter in the Adriatic Sea in pre-WWII 1930s who goes by the name Porco Rosso (Shūichirō Moriyama/Michael Keaton) or the Crimson Pig. Porco was once a man and a brilliant pilot named Marco, but he is now cursed with the appearance of a literal pig. His work as a bounty hunter—protecting innocents from the myriad airborne pirate gangs in the seemingly otherwise lawless region of the world—has been productive and rewarding for him. So much so that these airborne pirate gangs have banded together to take Porco down once and for all by hiring ace Texan super pilot Donald Curtis (Akio Ōtsuka/Cary Elwes). He also has to contend with the Italian authorities.
The fantasized Italian world that Miyazaki has created here in Porco Rosso is vibrant, colorful, and wonderful to observe. Whether it’s Porco soaring across the seas and the lands, getting into an aerial dogfight, or enjoying a drink at the seabound restaurant owned by his friend, Gina (Tokiko Kato/Susan Egan), there is always plenty of detail to take in. Even background characters that don’t offer any dialogue or push the narrative forward in any way are given something unique to do at all times. It feels real and it feels alive, and it invests the viewer right away.
The film has a strong theme of feminism running through it. There are two female leads in Porco Rosso: the aforementioned Gina and Fio (Akemi Okamura/Kimberly Williams-Paisley). Gina is a strong and beautiful woman running her own establishment in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. Fio is an attractive seventeen year old wunderkind of an airplane mechanic who gets to work on Porco’s airplane. In spite of the best efforts of many of the male characters throughout the film, both women are elevated above the fray by being intelligent, strong, and witty. It is notable that while many of the men in the film hypocritically accuse Porco of being a lecherous pig (and it is hinted that this might be the source of his cursed appearance), he treats Gina and Fio respectfully. He even gently rebuffs Fio when she expresses a teenaged style love for him that allows her to maintain her dignity.
At its heart, Porco Rosso is a fairly serious drama with elements of levity. Sometimes, I think the film leans too much into the absurdly comedic side of things, to its detriment. One example where I think it does work is during the climactic duel between Porco and Curtis. For different reasons, neither of the guns on their planes work at a certain point in the duel. They start throwing whatever items they have on hand at each other while flying in extreme proximity to one another. It’s absurd and it’s funny, but it also reflects each man’s unwillingness to give up the duel, even if it is for different reasons. A moment in the same duel that doesn’t work for me is when the two men take the duel to the ground. They get out of their airplanes and start pummeling each other. If that’s all they did until one man went down, that would have been great. Instead, however, it’s not long before it turns into a bare-knuckle boxing match complete with a referee, sides, coaches, and timed rounds. That moment, while funny, does not feel organic and, for me at least, takes away from the drama at the heart of the scene.
Porco Rosso is a really terrific film, with exciting action and drama. Sometimes, it tries to work a little too much absurdity into the film. Those moments can be distracting, but they are far and few between.
Written and Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
Starring Shūichirō Moriyama/Michael Keaton, Akio Ōtsuka/Cary Elwes, Tokiko Kato/Susan Egan, Akemi Okamura/Kimberly Williams-Paisley, etc.
8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING (IT DOES NOT SUCK)
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