David O'ConnellPonyo
December 16th 2009 04:18
Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki’s latest is a beguiling, transcendent fantasy; a typically rich and surreal feast for the senses. Though not a sheer classic, it immediately suggests the kind of broad appeal and charming simplicity emblematic of past masterworks, Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001).
Ponyo (Noah Cyrus) is an adorable but oddly proportioned goldfish. One day she befriends a boy, Sosuke (Frankie Jonas), who saves her from certain death, and who lives with his mother Lisa (Tina Fey) on a cliff by the sea. Ponyo's contact with blood through a cut on Sosuke’s hand may heal him, but it sets off a possessive desire to be transformed into a human, thus leaving behind her school of miniature sisters and their once-human wizard father Fujimoto (Liam Neeson) whose distinctly feminine exterior is the first of many bizarre visual touches.
Enraged by Ponyo’s desire to join a race of beings he abandoned for a new incarnation underwater, Fujimoto sends his minions – in the form of fish who mutate into ominous waves with eyes - on a mission to retrieve her. Ponyo’s escape is facilitated by her theft of Fujimoto’s reserves of magical elixirs which feed her yearning to be just like Sosuke – and likewise continue sampling the pleasures of ham! But her misuse of the powers has a ripple effect in provoking a violent reaction from the ocean; before long, the town is flooded, cutting her and Sosuke off from everyone.
Eventually Ponyo’s mother, Gran Mamare (Cate Blanchett), a giant, glowing celestial enchantress intrudes, proposing a test which will decide her daughter’s ultimate fate. If Sosuke displays a sustained and genuine love for his new best friend, then Gran Mamare will allow Ponyo’s transformation to be permanent.
Carried along by its dreamlike imagery, including a rapturous vision of life beneath the ocean, Ponyo consolidates its director’s reputation for idiosyncratic explorations of the collision of the real and the fantastical. Though sporadic in nature and free of any suspense or unpredictable through-line, the film may seem too straight-forward at first, but there’s an assured richness in Miyazaki’s worlds that always encourage repeat viewings.
A mild environmental message, peripherally suggested as Ponyo flirts with dangerous waste in her initial venture to the surface, is about as serious as the film gets. Soon it settles into frivolity, emphasising the burgeoning playful bond between the children as if they were teenagers who don’t know why they like one another, but do. Watching Ponyo discover human pleasures from her innocent perspective is where Miyazaki’s writing comes alive, whilst Joe Hisaishi, the director's regular composer, contributes yet another spellbinding symphonic accompaniment.
As usual, there’s much to savour in Miyazaki's colourful design, right down to the most minute details, including an off-kilter but recognisably Japanese sensibility, and one associable with anime in general. The extraordinary, vaguely supernatural events of this world are met with only mild consternation by all, as if the appearance of prehistoric sea-creatures, sorcerers rising from the deep and talking fish are everyday occurrences.
Ponyo’s themes may contain a universality that seems pitched at younger audiences, but as usual in Miyazaki’s world, both young and old alike are invited along for the ride, to take pleasure in the work of animation’s most revered genius.
The trailer can be found here.
PONYO will be released on DVD by Madman on December 29th.
Ponyo (Noah Cyrus) is an adorable but oddly proportioned goldfish. One day she befriends a boy, Sosuke (Frankie Jonas), who saves her from certain death, and who lives with his mother Lisa (Tina Fey) on a cliff by the sea. Ponyo's contact with blood through a cut on Sosuke’s hand may heal him, but it sets off a possessive desire to be transformed into a human, thus leaving behind her school of miniature sisters and their once-human wizard father Fujimoto (Liam Neeson) whose distinctly feminine exterior is the first of many bizarre visual touches.
Enraged by Ponyo’s desire to join a race of beings he abandoned for a new incarnation underwater, Fujimoto sends his minions – in the form of fish who mutate into ominous waves with eyes - on a mission to retrieve her. Ponyo’s escape is facilitated by her theft of Fujimoto’s reserves of magical elixirs which feed her yearning to be just like Sosuke – and likewise continue sampling the pleasures of ham! But her misuse of the powers has a ripple effect in provoking a violent reaction from the ocean; before long, the town is flooded, cutting her and Sosuke off from everyone.
Eventually Ponyo’s mother, Gran Mamare (Cate Blanchett), a giant, glowing celestial enchantress intrudes, proposing a test which will decide her daughter’s ultimate fate. If Sosuke displays a sustained and genuine love for his new best friend, then Gran Mamare will allow Ponyo’s transformation to be permanent.
Ponyo emerges from beneath the ocean.
Carried along by its dreamlike imagery, including a rapturous vision of life beneath the ocean, Ponyo consolidates its director’s reputation for idiosyncratic explorations of the collision of the real and the fantastical. Though sporadic in nature and free of any suspense or unpredictable through-line, the film may seem too straight-forward at first, but there’s an assured richness in Miyazaki’s worlds that always encourage repeat viewings.
A mild environmental message, peripherally suggested as Ponyo flirts with dangerous waste in her initial venture to the surface, is about as serious as the film gets. Soon it settles into frivolity, emphasising the burgeoning playful bond between the children as if they were teenagers who don’t know why they like one another, but do. Watching Ponyo discover human pleasures from her innocent perspective is where Miyazaki’s writing comes alive, whilst Joe Hisaishi, the director's regular composer, contributes yet another spellbinding symphonic accompaniment.
Ponyo and Sosuke go exploring
As usual, there’s much to savour in Miyazaki's colourful design, right down to the most minute details, including an off-kilter but recognisably Japanese sensibility, and one associable with anime in general. The extraordinary, vaguely supernatural events of this world are met with only mild consternation by all, as if the appearance of prehistoric sea-creatures, sorcerers rising from the deep and talking fish are everyday occurrences.
Ponyo’s themes may contain a universality that seems pitched at younger audiences, but as usual in Miyazaki’s world, both young and old alike are invited along for the ride, to take pleasure in the work of animation’s most revered genius.
The trailer can be found here.
PONYO will be released on DVD by Madman on December 29th.
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic