Ponyo
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Walt Disney Pictures, 2009
By Isaac Mills
I saw The Little Mermaid a few times when I was little — and it always terrified me. It’s now among those things in this world that I love to hate. I’m sure if I were to revisit it, I’d like it well enough, but still. The Little Mermaid is scary beyond all reason.
Disturbing amorphous fish blob creature aside, Ponyo is just sweetness incarnate.
Ponyo is the story of a magical fish/girl who discovers new wonders above the restrictive waters of her home, especially the kind boy Sosuke who vows to take care of her.
The acting is fantastic in regards to how Sosuke moves around, everything he does is how a kid does it, be it pulling down on his shirt when he’s nervous, crawling through holes in fences, or just refusing to sit butt down in his cars seat.
I wondered why the title character kept appearing to die in her new friend Sosuke’s hands near the beginning of the film. But with a little thought after the fact I realized that that was the only tension in the movie. That’s as bad as it gets. Every time I think something terrible is about to happen to the main characters — Ponyo and Sosuke — they’re fine. As opposed to The Little Mermaid where there’s a thirty-foot tall death squid with the power to transform you and all those you love into horrible pre-salted snails.
Even when the ocean is revolting against mankind and darkness seems prepped to swallow the land there’s a little girl running across those giant waves, totally at ease, eager to be reunited with Sosuke.
The musical score is beautiful, evincing the wonder and magic pervading these characters lives, helping to set the scene, but always retreats to the background when necessary. I never found it overwhelming to the film, but always supportive, as the best soundtracks should be.
Ponyo is often hilarious with the kids being kids (“I’m busy!” “You’re not busy, you’re five!”) and adult characters also being kids. There’s a definite equality between the characters, a support system which showcases the value of the relationships they all have with each other without resorting to making dolts of the adults.
Everyone shoulders their responsibilities seriously and to the best of their abilities, whether they’re a five-year-old boy who tries to take care of a “goldfish,” or an ancient wizard who maintains the balance of the oceans power.
It’s a gorgeous looking movie, and I definitely recommend checking it out with some little ones — or even by yourself for a fun night out.
