Suzume Review
Suzume is the latest movie released by “Weathering With You” and “Your Name” director Makoto Shinkai. Suzume Iwato (Nanoka Hara /Akari Miura) is a 17-year-old high school girl who lives with her aunt in Kyushu. One night, she dreams of searching for her mother as a child in a ruined neighbourhood. The next morning, while headed for school, Suzume encounters a young man searching for abandoned areas with doors. She tells him about an old onsen resort nearby, then follows the man herself to the resort. Suzume finds a door standing alone on its frame, which shows a starlit field through the doorway which she cannot enter. She trips over a cat statue which becomes a real cat and flees. Frightened, she heads back to school. During lunchtime, Suzume notices a blaze-like column arising from the site of the onsen that nobody else can see. Returning there, she finds the man from before, trying to close the door. Seeing him struggle and get injured, Suzume rushes to help. The red column disappears, but not before crashing invisibly into the town and causing earthquake-like damage.
Review
Wow, what an experience and I use that word deliberately because “Suzume” isn’t just a movie. it’s a genuine experience that will have you laughing one minute, in shock and tears the next. It explores mature themes such as loss, the importance of community especially after a natural disaster, the bond between mother and daughter and how no one is really so perfect that their self sacrifice doesn’t make them at least somewhat jaded.
Suzume herself is a fantastic heroine, brave but honest about how out of her depth she is, she’s also unfailingly kind only losing that kindness when she thinks she’s lost everything. The animation is just stunning and the soundtrack is one I’ve been addicted to for a while now.
Keeping things as balanced as can be, I would say that the film definitely has pacing issues in that there are some storylines that deserve more time given to them but are brushed over quickly and visa versa and because of this, despite just watching a movie that I struggled to fault in any way I was left wanting more and feeling curious about the things that were just brushed upon.
Honestly I recommend this movie to pretty much everyone. It’s so beautiful.
