THE WIND RISES
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
For the past four decades, Hayao Miyazaki has made a practice of transporting us to wonderlands, be it the enchanted forest of Princess Mononoke or netherworld of Spirited Away. Widely regarded as our greatest living animator, Miyazaki uses what could be his final film to deposit us in yet another surreal setting: Imperial Japan between the First and Second World War.
Outfitted with Harry Potter-style glasses, Jirô Horikoshi (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) possesses wizardry to match when it comes to aeronautical engineering. Desperately trying to close the gap with Germanys rapid advancements in aircraft design, hes left constantly frustrated by the fact he must rely on oxen to tow his prototypes to the testing field, as if these miraculous inventions were nothing more than farm equipment.
Appearing at first glance to be an earnest animated biopic, The Wind Rises quickly reminds us that shapeshifting has always played a prominent role in Miyazakis work. In keeping with this tradition, Wind assumes myriad forms, serving as a visually poetic ode to the divine magic of inspiration Jirô frequently accesses a dream space in which magnificent flying machines are conceived and a melancholic cautionary tale about the perils of ambition his ideas are only valued if they possess military application.
Its with similar immaculate skill that Miyazaki weds the two tragic love stories here: the first featuring Jirôs ailing bride (Emily Blunt), the second hinging on his conflicted relationship with his passion project. Powered by such potent emotional fuel, Wind soars and allows us to watch a master once again reach dizzying heights. Curtis Woloschuk
