Howl's Moving Castle Review

This movie is incredibly awesome!  But, I have to say that it does have its own problems. For me it's mainly the story.  I can also say that I do have some problems with the mythology of the film. First, let me explain myself!  This movie is visually gorgeous.  I mean all of Miyazaki's films are visually stunning.  I love how much work was done to put so much detail into every scene.

There are spoilers here! Kind of. Here's the plot,  Sophie, an eighteen-year old girl, meets the wizard Howl.  Howl is voiced by Christian Bale.  That right there is so awesome.  She is not very confident, but she seems pretty to me.  An evil witch casts a spell on her, and she is turned into an old women.  She goes to the Land of the Waste to find Howl, so that she can break the curse.

I do suggest that you all watch the movie, but here's my opinion.  The story seems kind of bumpy.  I do like the romance that builds between Howl and Sophie.  Mind you she transitions between a young woman and an old woman.  I like how Miyazaki actually make his character have flaws.  They are not sugary characters who can do no wrong.  Sophie has very low self-esteem, and she does not live for herself.  It's only when she starts to believe in herself does she start to become young again.

That seems to be a big theme in Miyazaki's movies particular with "Kiki's Delivery Service."  When she begins to have low her confidence, she loses her ability to fly her broom; however, she had always low self-esteem from the beginning, but it really diminishes when she goes away from home to complete her training as a witch.  She gains her magic back when she believes in herself again.  The character of Howl is very selfish, cowardly, and he is very focused on how he looks.  He can be kind at times, and he does start to fall in love with Sophie.  Because of this, he does not run away from his problems anymore.

My problem with the movie is that it left me with a lot of questions at the end.  Miyazaki seemed to have used the theme of war.  The kingdoms that are fighting in the film begin to draft witches and wizards.  I had questions such as "why are they fighting?", "what caused the war?", "how do the citizens feel about wizards and witches being used in the war?".  I do like how the movie saw how war can bring out the worst in everyone.  In the film, the wizards transform into monstrous flying monsters.  If they stay in that form for a long time, they lose their human consciousness.

Howl begins to lose his humanity, because he has two aliases when he's fighting the war.  He wants to be free and do whatever he wants with his magic.   I was really confused on how the curse worked during the film.  Sometimes she was young, and other times she was old.  When she was asleep, she would revert back into her young self.  I wasn't even sure is the curse was lifted at the end.  Sophie is young again, but I wasn't sure if she had broken the curse.  She is seen flying with Howl in "his castle," and they kiss.  Although I had a few question, the film was very good.  I suggest that you all watch it.

Hey you guys should watch this clip.  It's so hilarious!  Christian Bale is using his Batman voice in this scene.  I swear that Christopher Nolan watched this film and said, "THAT'S BATMAN!!"  Skip to 0:54 and you'll see what I am talking about.