Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Hideaki Anno, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Miori Takimoto, Masahiko Nishimura, Mansai Nomura, Jun Kunimura, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Martin Short, Stanley Tucci, Mandy Patinkin, Mae Whitman, Werner Herzog, William H. Macy.
Running Time: 126 minutes
Certificate: PG
The end of an era? We can only hope not. After all, Hayao Miyazaki has attempted retirement before, but then again, there is something about THE WIND RISES that feels very definite and complete. The supposed final film of one of cinema’s true greats is not just a riveting biography of plane designer Jiro Hirokoshi, but also a look inside the soul of Miyazaki himself.
Miyazaki has always had a love for planes, ever since being born into a family that ran Miyazaki Airplanes. His films often contain flying apparati such as planes and airships, from CASTLE IN THE SKY to PORCO ROSSO. Now he delves back into the life of Hirokoshi, a man who loved plane design, but would soon find himself having to create such vehicles that would be used for war. In many ways this is a tragedy that sees a dream become twisted by outside forces, but it’s also an incredibly inspiring tale.
Strong characters keep the film on track, as Miyazaki mostly does away with his usual fantasy flourishes. They are still present in the way of dream sequences, but for a film on planes and aviation, this is ironically grounded. Most beautiful is the film’s structure, which starts out fast and gradually slows down. It’s a brave move, but one Miyazaki is accustomed with. Here we have a terrifying earthquake sequence which makes the most of Ghibli’s stunning animation. Funnily enough though, it is the sound design that is the star here. Human voices are used for everything, from roaring fires to propellers starting up. It adds such a weird but mystical quality to every key moment.
THE WIND RISES is a fantastic film to end an incredible career, if in fact it is the end. The animation is as sublime as ever, the characters as wonderful as we are used to, and once again both vocal tracks add something subtle and unique. More films need to be like THE WIND RISES. Unassuming, layered, and magnificent.
[usr=5]THE WIND RISES is out on DVD & Blu-ray on 29th September.
