In a magical land filled with wars and wizards, a young girl named Sophie is turned into a hideous old lady by an evil witch. Scared and alone, she runs away from home and joins up with the powerful wizard Howl aboard his magnificent moving castle, only to be taken on a magical, albeit confusing, journey.

Hayao Miyazaki’s movies aren’t made for everyone, although there are definitely universal themes and an entertaining mysticism that can reach each person on some level. I’m not a rabid fan, but I’ve enjoyed a lot of his work, especially CASTLE IN THE SKY and SPIRITED AWAY. I wanted to like HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (especially after hearing so many people rave about it) but I was sadly disappointed.

Like every film Studio Ghibli makes, HOWL’S definitely gets points for creativity and sheer imagination. Miyazaki has created a unique and enchanting world that’s both fantastical and invitingly authentic. The character design is great (the fat little dog steals the show) and the titular mechanical fortress is an animated marvel…truly gorgeous stuff. The visual appeal of the film alone almost warrants a viewing.

Where HOWL’S falters in comparison to its cinematic predecessors is the execution of its mystical story. The animation is inspired, but the same can’t be said for the characters. After the setup, the heroine wanders from set piece to set piece, forgoing a coherent narrative and drawing attention away from anything outside herself. There’s a massive war going on, but we never get enough information to understand it. Howl seems to be fighting and struggling with his own demons, but that’s also barely addressed. And by the end, everything has devolved into a confusing, jumbled mess where I didn’t even know what the heck was going on (and still don’t!), before the entire film is resolved too quickly and too cleanly. I know Japanese filmic sensibilities are supposed to be a bit different, but this is beyond any cultural divide. I hope the rumors of Miyazaki’s retirement aren’t true, because I’d like to see the master animator go out on a higher note.

Video: 1.85:1 widescreen. If there’s one aspect HOWL’S succeeds in it’s the visual department—rich artwork, vivid colors, and an amazing palette that bring the characters to life. A really vibrant and clean transfer to boot.

Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital surround. You have the option of listening to the movie dubbed or with the original Japanese soundtrack. I watched it in Japanese, but the dubbed version is supposed to be great (see the bonus material) and features Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall and Billy Crystal doing voice work. Aside from the talking, the sound editing is great and the effects will utilize your speakers fully.

Pixar demigod John Lasseter is good friends with Miyazaki and had a hand in the production of the American version. The DVD does a good job chronicling the collaborative process, but for a 2-disc set leaves a lot to be desired.

Disc 1: The film, plus:

Behind The Microphone (9:01): A nice piece with in-studio footage of all the major voice actors involved, including Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Blythe Danner, Lauren Bacall and Billy Crystal. You also get a neat look at the constrictive process of dubbing an already-animated film. (BONUS: John Lasseter himself directs Billy Crystal and you can actually watch the magic take place.)

Interview with Pete Doctor (7:21): An informational interview taken from a Japanese program. Pixar animation director Doctor was picked by Lasseter to oversee the translation of the movie for American audiences, and he speaks about the movie itself, as well as the interesting process of working between two diverse cultures.

Hello Mr. Lasseter: Hayao Miyazaki Visits Pixar (16:27): Miyazaki makes a surprise visit to Pixar HQ in California for a tour and screening of the movie. Can I just say…John Lasseter is the man! He’s like a little kid meeting one of his heroes, constantly hugging and fawning over Miyazaki. There are a couple of fun surprises in this feature that I don’t want to ruin, but make sure you check it out.

Also included are some Trailers and TV Spots. I wish there was a commentary track from somebody, just to hear an explanation of what the heck went down in this movie.

Disc 2:

Storyboards (1:59:04): You can watch the ENTIRE MOVIE storyboarded, complete with dialogue, sound effects and music—even end credits. It’s neat that they include this, as it shows the incredible amount of planning and work that occurs before any actual animation even begins, but I don’t think anybody is going to sit and watch two hours of rough sketches.

That’s all, folks. Seriously. After a fantastic first disc, this is all we get on the second?? They could’ve at least moved things around to make it seem more even.

There are some fun characters and sequences, but overall HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE may be too confusing for adults and a bit too slow and weird for children (like most Miyazaki movies—I remember watching MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO as a kid and being semi freaked out). And much like the film itself, the DVD set starts off nicely with a packed first disc, and ends disappointingly with the second. If you’re a diehard anime or Miyazaki fan, I’d pick this up for the sake of completion. Otherwise, I’d just stick to his earlier work.