Far from Miyazaki's best

Rating: 6/10 (2 November 2012)

Howl's Moving Castle has the potential to be probably the best Ghibli film ever, and that already is an insanely high remark. All the elements are there: gorgeous animation, interesting story, a beautifully crafted world and perhaps the most fun and imaginative cast of characters Ghibli has ever brought on screen. Yet, staggeringly , the elements never quite come together, and the end result feels more like a collection of bits than one coherent whole.
The story is ultimately the movie's downfall: whereas previous Miyazaki films have had either a strong narrative (Laputa, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke), or a character-focused approach with barely any story (Totoro, Ponyo), Howl's Moving Castle falls somewhere in the middle and suffers gravely for it. There are many strong characters with their own stories, yet there is also the main plot to keep track of, and these two ultimately don't mix. The main focus seems to get lost time after time, as plot twists appear seemingly without any setup. It's also strangely difficult to describe Howl's character: Is he a superficial douche? Is he a wise and kind yet young wizard? Is he a cold bystander or a tormented power tool torn by his indecision? I myself never really figured it out.
But all the things Miyazaki is known for are still here: the animation is beyond beautiful, the score is great (if not very memorable), the sheer amount of imagination brought on-screen is amazing and the characters, especially Calcifer, are delicately crafted and all likable. It's just sad that the messy story overwhelms these aspects, and the end result feels uneven and in need of streamlining.
Recommendation: This movie will undoubtedly be understood better by those who have read the novel. For those who haven't I would recommend adjusting your expectations. Don't watch this movie for the story, just let yourself drown in the visuals and the atmosphere.