I confess to having been a bit let down by Porco Rosso. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the epic grandeur of Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke (or by the dreamlike wonder of Spirited Away), but this one seemed rather mundane at best, not to mention annoyingly incomplete.
As many here have already noted, the film revolves around Porco's love life -- or lack thereof. Though he blusters about being a "notorious womanizer," he lives alone on a desert island, seems remarkably uncomfortable in the presence of women, and keeps the two outstanding beauties who love him at arm's length with droll, self-deprecating tough-guy sarcasm and feeble excuses. By the time we reach the end, all that relentlessly fatalistic wisecracking begins to feel uncomfortably close to a subtle form of whining, tending to make Porco less sympathetic than he might otherwise be.
Given this focus on Porco's unfulfilling romances, some sort of logical closure on the subject is surely called for. Yet the most we ever get -- or do we? -- is a possible, minuscule, indication in the final scene that might or might not indicate that he ultimately returns to Gina. (Though personally, I find the spunky go-getter Fio a far more engaging heroine than the cool but essentially passive Gina). A bit of a fizzle after all the attention given to the subject during the story's unwinding.
How did Porco acquire his curse in the first place? Well don't ask, because you won't be answered. And though the story appears to take place sometime in the mid-Thirties, we're told that by the ending credits several wars have passed, and jets are flying over Porco's Mediterranean, yet an apparently recent movie poster of a seemingly un-aged Curtis in Forties style decorates a wall.
Though we're supposed to think of Porco Rosso as being somehow more "adult" than Myazaki's other films, the nonthreatening Popeye-style villains keep dragging us back to the grade-school level, robbing the story of any real suspense. Too many unanswered questions; too little genuine conflict. Even the Master's artistry and imagination can't cover so many holes.
On the plus side, Michael Keaton's dub as Porco is absolutely wonderful, possibly the best voice-over job I've ever heard. In fact, the entire voice cast delivers a collectively flawless performance. And, this being a Miyazaki film, the animation is, of course, superb. For those reasons alone, I'd classify Porco Rosso as a must-see -- but only once; repeated viewings only make the shortcomings of its script all the more glaring. It's a daring concept, but much as it pains me to say so, Porco Rosso promises far more than it can deliver.
As many here have already noted, the film revolves around Porco's love life -- or lack thereof. Though he blusters about being a "notorious womanizer," he lives alone on a desert island, seems remarkably uncomfortable in the presence of women, and keeps the two outstanding beauties who love him at arm's length with droll, self-deprecating tough-guy sarcasm and feeble excuses. By the time we reach the end, all that relentlessly fatalistic wisecracking begins to feel uncomfortably close to a subtle form of whining, tending to make Porco less sympathetic than he might otherwise be.
Given this focus on Porco's unfulfilling romances, some sort of logical closure on the subject is surely called for. Yet the most we ever get -- or do we? -- is a possible, minuscule, indication in the final scene that might or might not indicate that he ultimately returns to Gina. (Though personally, I find the spunky go-getter Fio a far more engaging heroine than the cool but essentially passive Gina). A bit of a fizzle after all the attention given to the subject during the story's unwinding.
How did Porco acquire his curse in the first place? Well don't ask, because you won't be answered. And though the story appears to take place sometime in the mid-Thirties, we're told that by the ending credits several wars have passed, and jets are flying over Porco's Mediterranean, yet an apparently recent movie poster of a seemingly un-aged Curtis in Forties style decorates a wall.
Though we're supposed to think of Porco Rosso as being somehow more "adult" than Myazaki's other films, the nonthreatening Popeye-style villains keep dragging us back to the grade-school level, robbing the story of any real suspense. Too many unanswered questions; too little genuine conflict. Even the Master's artistry and imagination can't cover so many holes.
On the plus side, Michael Keaton's dub as Porco is absolutely wonderful, possibly the best voice-over job I've ever heard. In fact, the entire voice cast delivers a collectively flawless performance. And, this being a Miyazaki film, the animation is, of course, superb. For those reasons alone, I'd classify Porco Rosso as a must-see -- but only once; repeated viewings only make the shortcomings of its script all the more glaring. It's a daring concept, but much as it pains me to say so, Porco Rosso promises far more than it can deliver.