Gedo Senki Proves Disappointment
As a long-time fan of Studio Ghibli's works (and, outside of Ghibli, works by Miyazaki Hayao himself in general), I really feel that the newest entry in the Ghibli library, Gedo Senki (a.k.a. Tales of Earthsea) disparages the studio's name. Mind you, I have not yet read the books from which the movie was made. Also, according to the credits, it was also partially inspired by one of Miyazaki Hayao's works, which I have also not had the pleasure of reading (not a film). Unfortunately, a movie like this should be able to stand on its own, with knowledge of other subjects augmenting the enjoyment of the film. For example, Howl's Moving Castle is an excellent movie. It means a lot more if you have read the book, as the film does not take the time to explain certain things (and, in some ways, is totally different entirely), but it is still very enjoyable as a stand-alone entity. Gedo Senki does seem to have potential. However, the story seemed to drag horribly in many places. There was a lot of secrecy about things which was unnecessarily prolonged and, in some cases, never explained fully. The main character is incredibly unlikeable for the majority of the film, which doesn't help my opinion of it. The flim touches very lightly on the dragons, on Therru herself (another character who could have used a LOT more development than she was given), and the past relationship between Sparrowhawk and the evil magician. It sets up a lot of great questions to be answered, and then fails to do so.
Now, despite my harshness here, I do not think the movie is terrible overall. If I had seen it just as a regular movie, I would probably have considered it average-ish. However, due to its being given the Studio Ghibli title, I expected more from it. The artwork, especially for the backgrounds, is lush and vibrant - incredibly beautiful in many places. The music was also fairly good, although not as good as some of the studio's earlier movie's scores. Unfortunately, Miyazaki Goro does not seem to have his father's talent for directing. At least, not yet. It is very possible that he could hone his abilities and become better at his work, ultimately making great, timeless films. We all have to start somewhere, right? Unfortunately, whether this turns out to be a stepping stone or the wall that stops him in his tracks, this movie does not meet my expectations as a Ghibli film, or even as a fantasy film for high quality. If you haven't already purchased it, I would very highly recommend that you rent it first to see what you think before investing in it.
Now, despite my harshness here, I do not think the movie is terrible overall. If I had seen it just as a regular movie, I would probably have considered it average-ish. However, due to its being given the Studio Ghibli title, I expected more from it. The artwork, especially for the backgrounds, is lush and vibrant - incredibly beautiful in many places. The music was also fairly good, although not as good as some of the studio's earlier movie's scores. Unfortunately, Miyazaki Goro does not seem to have his father's talent for directing. At least, not yet. It is very possible that he could hone his abilities and become better at his work, ultimately making great, timeless films. We all have to start somewhere, right? Unfortunately, whether this turns out to be a stepping stone or the wall that stops him in his tracks, this movie does not meet my expectations as a Ghibli film, or even as a fantasy film for high quality. If you haven't already purchased it, I would very highly recommend that you rent it first to see what you think before investing in it.