Admirably Animated but Disappointing in Direction

Rating: 6/10 (13 May 2005)

I have long been a great fan of Miyazaki. Everything from Mimi wo Sumaseba to Sen to Chihiro (that's Whisper of the Heart and Spirited Away if you speak Disney) have been great treasures of mine since before Disney began their first negotiations.
However, I am disappointed. Jones created a rich and amusing story in the tradition of European faery stories and provided her reader with a well developed plot and wonderful characters. All of these have fallen to pieces in the film. The plot barely resembles Jones's original creation and the characters, who mostly bear the same names, have lost nearly all semblance of their original personalities.
While Miyazaki's world is rich in color and imagination, it is most definitely Miyazaki's world, and hardly Jones's at all.
I am exceedingly glad I saw the movie before reading the book, as I would have been too distracted by the complete deviation from the book to enjoy the wonderful voice acting, art, and music provided by the Japanese crew. (I have no desire to see the film dubbed into English, as screen actors and not voice actors have been cast in the roles.) As is, I am still able to appreciate the very excellent craftsmanship that went into the film. However, those who enjoy Jones's works should be forewarned that this is not the same tale, and one should not expect much to be the same. Had the title and names been changed, one would never have recognized it for the same story.
Aside from the lack of resemblance to the original work, the film was also somewhat confusing, and ended abruptly, as though they ran out of time or paper. And isn't that the same girl from Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)? What happened to Sophie's red-blonde hair, to say nothing of Martha! Doesn't Michael look a bit young for fifteen? Sophie's entire transformation, both first and last, go almost thoroughly unanswered for. Howl's directness of comment, "slithering," and his penchant for beautiful young girls go quickly by the wayside in adapting him to screen.
However, if you like Miyazaki's works in general and for their own merit, you will probably greatly enjoy Howl's Moving Castle, as I did (before reading the book).