Movie Review: The Storm (大雨)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful animated movie from China. 

This film is exactly what a fantasy movie should be. That is that it truly makes you believe the fantasy. This world is so well thought out that it always seems perfectly real to us. There are times when it feels magical, times when it feels dark and threatening and many times when it feels like a lot of both. Throughout all of this, the whole movie is dripping with pure wonderful imagination that never lets up. Though the story has similarities to other animated movies, it has its own unique feel that is simply wonderful. The creativity often drips over into the incredible visuals. This is simply a beautiful looking movie. The art work and animation is on par with Studio Ghibli and that is no small feat. That is also why this movie needs to be seen on the bigger screen. This is a real cinematic experience and a small screen could not have the same effect. Yet just as visually incredible this film is, it also is very emotional. The relationship between our main character (a young boy) and his father figure is genuinely touching. This makes us care about these characters and what happens in this story. It also makes the fantasy feel even more real to us. This also leads to some very touching moments. The film also benefits from a truly creepy villain and a large amount of suspense. 

Simply put this is a wonderful movie.