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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Spirited Away (2001) in Movies

Nov 24, 2019

Spirited Away (2001)

2001 | Animation, Fantasy

8.4

(62 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Never Recovered After a Slow Start

When a girl gets separated from her parents during a family outing, she ends up in an abandoned amusement park that is a gateway to the spirit world. After her parents get turned into pigs, she has to figure out a way to save them and get home.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 1
Gets off to a pretty slow start. Literally every single time I watch the first ten minutes, I get sleepy. I don’t know if it’s the music or the slow drive through the country, but I wish things would move a bit faster.

Characters: 10
The spirit world is definitely not lacking in originality, particularly when it comes to the characters. I appreciated the level of detail here as every single spirit, good or bad, had their own way of moving, talking, and interacting with the world around them. In Spirited Away, you get crazy witches, dragons, and a professor-looking dude that has spider-like limbs. There is so much to see, I keep seeing new things each time I go back and watch the movie.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 10

Entertainment Value: 7

Memorability: 5

Pace: 3

Plot: 7

Resolution: 4
Although the ending is better than the beginning, that’s not saying much. it felt dry and lacking of a definitive conclusion. Was definitely hoping for more.

Overall: 67
Sometimes I will watch a movie multiple times and appreciate it more the second or third time around. Unfortunately, for me, Spirited Away doesn’t quite hit that mark. It’s a good that my opinion isn’t the end-all be-all because these Hayao Mayazaki movies have a huge following. Maybe I’ll try this one again someday, but, for now, I’m good.