The Boy and the Heron

After The Boy and the Heron‘s odd Japanese release strategy — in which Studio Ghibli didn’t release a frame of footage (or even just a still) prior to the film’s release — I figured the reason for the secrecy might be that the movie is a departure for Hayao Miyazaki. But no, it very much delivers exactly what you’d expect from a Miyazaki movie, from the story to the visuals. Please note: this is not a bad thing, though it’s hard to deny that the film sometimes feels like Miyazaki-by-numbers. It’s visually dazzling and thoroughly delightful at times, but it also doesn’t quite have the spark that makes the man’s best films so special. It’s certainly never boring, but it drags in parts.

**1/2 out of ****