Geekscape Movie Reviews ‘The Boy And The Beast’
As Mamoru Hosoda’s reputation has grown, so have the inevitable comparisons to Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary films. After The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children captured the hearts of audiences, showing that the reach of his work expanded farther than the typical anime fan. With The Boy And The Beast, Hosoda brings his unique brand of storytelling to a coming of age tale that takes us to the mystical land of the beasts, one where humans are never to step foot. But when an orphan from the human world meets an outcast from the beast realm, we are left with a touching story of how the connections we form have the ability to fill the holes in our hearts.
The Boy and the Beast introduces us to Ren, a young boy who resigns to a life on the streets after his mother passes away. With no contact with his estranged father and growing resentment in his heart, Ren finds an unlikely home at the side of Kumatetsu, a hot headed bear like beast who declares that the boy will be his new apprentice. Kumatetsu is one of two candidates to become the next lord of his kingdom, but his bad attitude has caused his peers to look down on him while favoring his rival, Iozen. In the hopes that taking in an apprentice will motivate him to work harder and break his bad habits, both Kumatetsu and Ren, (renamed Kyuta by his new master,) fill a void for each other despite their tumultuous relationship. But bringing a human into the Beast Kingdom has its own set of consequences, one that tests their already shaky bond in unimaginable ways.
Throughout the film, it’s this relationship that takes center stage. While neither character is the most likable when we first meet them, (a very intentional choice as you witness their growth in character,) it’s impossible not to root for them regardless when you consider the background each one comes from. We literally have every reason to cheer for Iozen over Kumatetsu considering the former is humble, and level headed despite his power, while Kumatetsu is an arrogant loudmouth who uses his bad attitude to hide the feeling that the lack of support that he gets from his peers really does get to him. As he builds a father/son bond through training Ren as his apprentice however, and watching the two characters emerge from their lonliness side by side is the true highlight of the film.
Yet, once the film gets to about the halfway point, the story takes a sudden turn, one that I felt wasn’t built up to nearly enough to justify the events taking place. Feeling as if there was a need to create a rift between the two protagonists when the first half of the film had so thoroughly built up their bond, I had a hard time believing that the characters could make the choices they did so easily. Once the story does get back on track during the climactic final battle between Iozen and Kumatetsu, the crap really hits the fan, but in the best way possible. This leads to the quick resolution to most of what was foreshadowed at the beginning of the story, but takes such a sudden shift in tone that it’s a bit jarring. Couple that with an abrupt, unsatisfying ending, and we’re left with a second act that’s hard to justify, and a third act that picks up on the action while feeling somewhat disjointed from the type of story it told up to that point. With that said, the final moments leading up to the sudden ending had me completely invested, rewarding me for the emotional investment that I had built with these characters over the short two hours since I had been introduced to them.
Naturally, it’s easier to get engrossed when this world of beasts comes to life through top notch visuals. Shown through some vividly produced animations that are easy to become engrossed in, taking in what you see on the screen is easy thanks to how well the 2D animation flows. This movie serves as a reminder of how not every movie needs to be full of 3D effects for it to be impressive, especially when the film suffers a bit during the handful of moments when 3D is used. Moving at a slower, less fluid pace, these few sections took me out of the story, reminding me of how much better those scenes could have been if the animators had stuck to 2D. Fortunately, the top notch English voice acting and emotional score more than make up for it, leaving the presentation on a high note.
As the credits rolled and I left the theater, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed The Boy and the Beast. Not knowing what to expect when I walked in, I walked out with a strong impression of the characters, their connections with each other, and their ultimate fates. The character growth and development takes center stage, even when the overall narrative takes some unrealistic turns given the little time these scenes had to develop, and the abrupt ending put a damper on the finale. Despite this, The Boy and the Beast stands up well against any of Hosoda’s other works, to the point where anime and non-anime fans alike will find something to love about this movie. If you’re a fan of all things Japan, if you want a sweet story to experience with the family, or you want to see some well animated action in between all the mushy stuff, then a weekend with Ren and Kumatetsu is a weekend well spent.
Final Score: 3.5/5
