The Boy and the Heron - A Movie Review

The heron will always be your guide.

The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 Japanese anime film. After the sudden death of his mother, Mahito goes to live with his dad and new stepmother. As he ventures on a mission, he wanders into a fantasy world shared by the living and the dead.

I have always been a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s films. He creates complex stories that hold relatable messages. Most scenes are unnerving and copy similar story tropes from other Miyazaki films. The Boy and the Heron strays a cohesive story, becoming a strange fantasy-like fever dream.

At the heart of the film is the classic Miyazaki trope – a young boy in a magical land, faced with challenges that demand courage and resilience. Mahito is overcoming a loss and trying to accept his new stepmother. His characterization is confusing as to what he’s attempting to conquer.

Originating as a Japanese language, the film is dubbed into English. Luxa Padovan voices the protagonist, Mohito. More credits include Karen Fukuhara. Gemina Chan, Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Christian Bale, Mark Hamill, Florence Pugh, and Dave Bautista.

While watching this movie, my friend whispered that Robert Pattinson voiced the mysterious Heron. I had to wait for the end credits to see that it was true! Pattinson is unrecognizable as the Heron. You’d never believe that it’s the same actor from the Twilight films. He should do more voice work!

Like most, if not all of Miyazaki’s films, The Boy and the Heron travels into a fantasy world. The film was too weird, deriving of a man in a heron costume (I never quite got that) and talking human-size parakeets. Young audiences may find the film unsettling. I certainly did. Before the reveal of the Heron’s identity, the creepy voice and its design were nightmarish.

I was disappointed in the film. Miyazaki has worked on the film since 2016. Coming from Studio Ghibli, the film had a chance to fulfill more attempts at its story and creativity. It reminded me of Miyazaki’s other films, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.

The Boy and the Heron struggle to be something, adding forced material to what could have been an exciting story. Most of the events feel random. We don’t invest enough in the characters or the film’s moral. Briefly, a character tags along with Mohito in his adventure only to vanish.

The reason for the disappearance is not addressed until the third act. The original title is, “How Do You Live?” That’s a title you don’t hear often. After reading others' reviews, the film is meant to be philosophical. I may have to see a second time to understand the meaning. Myazaki’s films have several interpretations.

On a good note, this film is the first hand-drawn and non-English-language animated film to win a Golden Globe. The animation is the best part of the film. Miyazaki always develops incredible animation with attention to detail in every frame, fluid character movements and vibrant colors create a visual spectacle that transports viewers into a dreamlike realm.

Young children may find scenes disturbing. In one scene, Mohito beats himself with a rock until he’s bleeding. There’s a lot of blood. And the talking parrots are a weird addition. One nightmarish scene includes frogs surrounding Mohito.

The Boy and the Heron is a complex film. Like myself, it’s important to think about the story to understand themes. For anyone who is a Studio Ghibli fan, take a look at The Boy and the Heron. There’s more wrapped in its layers.