Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Rating: 5/10 (19 June 2016)

This is one the many films from Japanese cartoon creators Studio Ghibli I had not seen, but remembered the title of and really wanted to see, I'm glad when I got the opportunity, directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo). Basically young girl Sheeta (Anna Paquin) has been abducted by secret government agent Muska (Mark Hamill), the airship she is on is attacked by Captain Dola (Cloris Leachman) and her air pirate sons, they are in search of Sheeta's crystal amulet, given to her by her father. Sheeta falls from the airship, but the amulet starts glowing and her descent is slowed by its power, she lands in a small mining town and is discovered by boy Pazu (Dawson's Creek's James Van Der Beek). Sheeta is surprised to be alive when she wakes, Pazu explains what he witnessed, he is building a small aeroplane with the intention to go in search of the the lost city of Laputa, a flying castle thought to be a legend or myth, but Pazu's took a photograph of. Dola's pirates show up and pursue them, as well as Muska's soldiers, eventually the two fall into a mine, there they encounter eccentric local Uncle Pom (Richard Dysart), he recognises Sheeta's amulet and informs them it is made of 'Aetherium', a material used to keep flying cities, like Laputa, aloft, after leaving the mines Sheeta tells Pazu that her full name is 'Lusheeta Toel Ul Laputa'. Sheeta and Pazu are captured by Muska and imprisoned in the fortress of Tedis, Muska shows Sheeta a dormant Laputan robot, he knows about her secret name and interprets it to be that of the Laputan royal line, Pazu's life is threatened unless Sheeta cooperates, and he is sent away and forget about her. Pazu returns home distraught, there Dola's sons ambush him, Dola is eventually persuaded to help Pazu, to stop Muska, intercept the airship Goliath and capture the crystal. Sheeta recites a magical verse and unexpectedly activates the amulet and the robot, which destroys the fortress, Pazu arrives to rescue Sheeta, but Muska obtains the amulet. The pirates, accompanied by Pazu and Sheeta, return to their airship the Tiger Moth, they pursue the Goliath, it is following directions by Sheeta's amulet to locate Laputa. The lost castle in the sky is found, it is devoid of human life, but overgrown by woodland, with a gigantic "eternal tree of life" in the centre, it is maintained by another robot. Dola's pirates are captured while Muska's soldiers explore the ancient city and crumbling, overgrown, yet beautiful ruin of a castle, it is the ultimate evolution of the crystal levitation technology, and also has the powers of holography, magnetic cohesion, pseudo-nuclear weaponry and a veritable army of the semi-sentient robots. While Pazu and the freed pirates escape, Muska captures Sheeta and takes her with him into the centre of Laputa, containing the immense Aetherium crystal keeping the city aloft, there he identifies himself as 'Romuska Palo Ul Laputa', a member of another royal line, and he uses Sheeta's amulet as the key to access the advanced Laputian technology. After Muska massacres his own soldiers and destroys the Goliath, Sheeta escapes with her amulet, she encounters Pazu and passes it to him, in a confrontation with Muska, Sheeta realises that the people of Laputa left because humans were meant to live on earth, not in the sky. Muska refuses her argument and threatens to kill her if she does not give him the amulet, Pazu enters and says he will give him the amulet if he is allowed to talk to Sheeta, Muska grants him one minute, Sheeta and Pazu recite a "Spell of Destruction", destroying much of the city, and Muska dies. Sheeta and Pazu survive the collapse, protected by the tree's gigantic roots, they reunite with Dola and her pirates, who have swiped the city's treasure, they part with Sheeta and Pazu who are heading to start a new life together, Laputa is left floating in the sky, with a robot guardian still tending the garden, and maintained by the Aetherium crystal. Also starring Jim Cummings as General, Mandy Patinkin as Louis and Andy Dick as Henri. It is a simple story of a quest to find a magical city that floats high in the sky, with are nods to the works of HG Wells and Jules Verne, and retro-futuristic stuff, the voices for the English dubbing are alright, more than anything you pay attention to the fantastically colourful and imaginative animation, an enjoyable animated fantasy adventure. Worth watching!