The Wind Rises (2013)

[風立ちぬ]

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Hideaki Anno, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Miori Takimoto

Synopsis:
A fictionalized biopic of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the Zero.

Impressions:
For those of you in the know, Hayao Miyazaki planned to retire after Princess Mononoke, but he kept coming back and some 16 years later, he appears to have stepped down from the director's chair at last. With most of his films having a more fantastical nature, I wasn't sure how to feel about the subject matter at first. However, it takes many of the elements close to Miyazaki's heart like flying, nostalgia and pacifism and ties it all together in what I feel is a fitting send-off to his career. Miyazaki caught flak from both sides of the political spectrum, but he's consistent with his message and I respect him for it. He doesn't glorify the Zero as a war machine, nor does he feel the need to make a big self-flagellating display. If anything, the only thing I'm not so cool with is the great liberties taken with Horikoshi's life, but this film is arguably more an adaptation of the Tatsuo Hori novel of the same name than it is a biography of Horikoshi. The element of dreams and magical realism reminded me of Shoji Kawamori's Spring and Chaos, another rather loose biopic (though with more anthropomorphic cats). Also, I have to admit my great surprise at Hideaki Anno taking the lead role. For someone who cut his teeth under Miyazaki, it feels rather appropriate for him to have a place in Miyazaki's last film. All told, it's a bittersweet tragedy and a rather slow-moving one at that, so it's not going to appeal to all audiences or even all the fans of Miyazaki's previous films. I found a lot of beauty to it, though, and as the swan song of a director and animator I have immense admiration and respect for, I think it deserves a place in your collection.

Rating:
Own It