Another great film from Miyazaki

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2008)

This is the first film to be made by Japan's Studio Ghibli and as one would expect from that studio it is an excellent film. The animation is of a very high standard and Joe Hisaishi's music fits the movie very well.
The film follows the adventures of Sheeta and Pazu as they search for the titular Laputa. In the opening scenes airborne pirates attack an airship that a young girl (Sheeta) is travelling on as a prisoner of Muska, who appears to be an agent of the government. During the confusion Sheeta manages to escape but while fleeing slips and falls from the airship. As she falls the crystal on her pendant starts to glow and instead of plummeting to her death she slowly drifts to earth where she is caught be a Pazu, a boy about her age.
The two of them soon end up on the run from both the pirates and the military. When captured by Muska Pazu is let go and told to forget about Sheeta but can't. When he gets home and finds the pirates already there he joins forces with them as they want Sheeta as she can help them find Laputa, which they believe to be full of treasure. Meanwhile Sheeta says a spell which she was taught as a child and her pendent glows and points a beam of light towards Laputa. It also awakens a giant robot, which had fallen from the sky some time before, it proceeds to escape from the castle basement in which it is stored and help free Sheeta. She is then reunited with Pazu and the pirates and they race against Muska to get to Laputa.
That is just a brief summary, I don't wish to say how it ends. The film is exciting though out and should be ideal both for children and who want an exciting story that is well told without excessive violence. Some scenes may be a little frightening for younger children but for the most part it is just exciting. As with most of Hayao Miyazaki's films there are plenty of thrilling flying sequences as well as a chase involving a train and a car on an elevated railway line.
The only parts I wasn't so keen on were a couple of scenes that seemed somewhat cartoony such as when two characters flexed their muscles and burst of of their shirts in a way that reminded me of "The Incredible Hulk", that said I'm sure it would amuse younger viewers so I can't really hold it against the film. I think it says something about the quality of the animation and the story that such a detail would stand out, after all it is an animated film.
I watched the film in Japanese with English subtitles so can't comment on the quality of the English dub.