Back to Sam's Corner

Back to the Reviews

CASTLE IN THE SKY

Released: 1986

Running Time: 125 min

Rated: G

Cast: James Van Der Beek, Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman, Mark Hamill, Jim Cummings, Mandy Patinkin

  It is basically an undisputed fact that the master of Japanese animation and in general one of the best movie makers in the world today is the renowned Hayao Miyasaki, creator of such films as Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service and the world award winner Spirited Away (also reviewed on this site). That is a claim that needs little effort to support, because even if you don’t think his are the best films ever made and even if you’re not a fan of anime, one cannot help but admit that Miyasaki’s films are masterpieces, pure and simple.

  Castle in the Sky in one of his earlier movies, but even with the advances of the later works this film is still as always a visual feast. This film is also one of the funniest and most charming that Studio Ghibli made under Miyasaki’s direction.

  The story is of Sheeta (voiced superbly by Anna Paquin of X-Men and Fly Away Home fame), a young girl who is orphaned and then abducted by strange government men. She is in an airship being taken away when the vessel is attacked by what truly have to be the silliest pirates who ever wore pink tights. The are the Dola Gang, and are all young men lead by their birth mother, an old hag named Dola. She is truly a funny character, and the Iowa born Cloris Leachman does a wonderful job on her voice. Anyway, Sheeta tries to escape both the government men and the pirates and in the process falls from the airship, assumed lost as she disappears into the cloud cover and tumbles to earth.

  What no one knows, however, is that a crystal she wears around her neck comes alive with some mystical energy when she is in trouble, and on more than one occasion it saves her from falling by suspending her in mid air, to float her to earth slowly. She faints, floats down where she is rescued by Pazu (James Van Der Beek), a young boy with dreams of finding the mythical city of Laputa , the Castle in the Sky. Together, Pazu and Sheeta go in search of the city together and help each other. He helps to keep her safe from the secret agents that want her crystal as well as the pirates after it, and she aids him in finding his mysterious city, which she has a connection to as well.

  This was a very surprising film, and the story is too much to express in a short review (like I’d want to spoil it for you anyway). As always with Miyasaki’s films, the artwork, the story, the characters and the experience of the film are always wonderful. This is more expressly a family feature, and like any good family film is as enjoyable for adults as it is for the young.

  One of the film’s strong points is how it takes this fantastical world of flying machines and strange technology but somehow makes it feel like we’re watching an old movie with the more retro locations and societal dress. Eventually it’s very easy to think that everything could be very real and normal, because so much wonderful detail and thought is put into the world.

  The characters are some of the most enjoyable of any of the Miyasaki films I have yet seen, and even the villains have a seductive charm to them. Mark Hamill of Star Wars and animated BatMan fame is Muska, the evil government agent trying to unlock the power of Sheeta’s crystal, and if you ask me his talents were wasted in the Star Wars movies. He is such an incredible voice actor it made me ecstatic to find out he was used for the dub of this film. Every character has an appeal, and some of them have LOADS of it. Some voices were probably chosen more for their sound appeal than appropriateness to the role, however. James Van Der Beek has a great voice and does a good job of his performance, but he doesn’t exactly sound like a 13/14-year-old boy.

  Another thing I liked about the movie was that the typical stereotyped romance that normally happens in kiddie cartoons between boy and girl was extremely downplayed. In America they meet, have their adventure, and then have a big make out scene at the end. Sheeta and Pazu are great friends, and there are many times where it is clear that they care for each other, but while they hug a lot and get a little cozy with each other they never make a mushy mess of it. It was similar to the relationship between Chihiro and Haku in Spirited Away, where they hinted at the love between them but thankfully did not take it anywhere on the physical level. Just as it should be, I think.  

  As for the story itself, it rather made me feel like I was watching Atlantis, a Jules Vern novel and Indiana Jones all rolled up into an anime feature. Many story elements felt familiar, but they were made different enough with the creation of the Miyasaki vision to still maintain a sense of originality. The only thing I suppose was a detraction for me is the fact that I don’t care much for crystal power stories, even if it is just fantasy, and this story has not as much as other films (certainly not as bad as Disney’s Atlantis or the Dark Crystal), so it’s not overbearing and does not get your mind off of the direction of the story.

  While so much more could be said, including the details of giant cool looking robots (that kind of looks like that Iron Giant guy except cooler) and the actually city of Laputa itself, I think it is best to end this review by saying that this is classic Miyasaki anime, and in all is a wonderfully entertaining film for adventure lovers. This film is not as largely hyped as others from Ghibli Studios, but it is a classic and very much worth a look.