Little Mermaids

Pushing through some unfinished posts that have been languishing the last couple of weeks... Here is #1.

Here there be spoilers. Do not follow the breadcrumbs if you're annoyed by that sort of thing.

I finally did get to see Ponyo with some good friends. The company was excellent, the movie was cute, and I'm glad I went. However, my reaction to the movie has been somewhat different than that of everyone else so far. While I loved the character of Ponyo herself, and the adorable old ladies, the more I thought about the movie, the more I realized how ... well, disappointed I was.

Overall the movie felt sort of ... recycled. Mind you, I love the Little Mermaid tale, and I expected it to be a re-telling, not something ground-breakingly new. As well, there were some bits of nice symbolism and such -- the water kingdom, the tunnel, etc. -- and I'm all for Cate Blanchette as a sea goddess. I also loved Totoro, so I don't even think it's just that I was caught off-guard by a movie meant for younger children. (As Sherri put it, the movie was definitely not challenging, and honestly, I usually don't mind that.)

First, I was less enamored of the character designs, which struck me as vintage Miyazaki in the bad way: the fish-girls are shapeless blobs with odd heads, and I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes at the garishness of Ponyo's father.

Then there's the inclusion of some tired and unsubtle jabs of nature vs. humanity that were unnecessary. They seemed to have been plugged in out of some moral obligation, and were especially annoying because the proponent of the "wipe out the humans/return to pristine ancient ocean" camp had once been human himself. As well, the movie does an excellent job showing how pollution affects the ocean and so on -- the dialogue to that effect removed any hint of subtlety or finesse from those scenes. It reminded me of the first Miyazaki film I saw, Princess Mononoke. While it was admittedly a lovely, lovely film, I haven't the faintest desire to re-watch it, and a large part of that stems from the heavy-handed eco-thumping.

Yes, I understand that concern about the planet is a good theme. But Studio Ghibli has the talent to show the encroachment and damage and concern in a way that makes the preachy dialogue clunkier by far in comparison. Unfortunately they insist on telling us the moral of the story, as well, which ruins the effect.

The other thing I disliked was actually a little harder to pin down.

I do understand that this is supposed to be a sweet little love story; a fairy tale in which the fate of the world hinges on two five-year-olds and their innocent idea of love. Ponyo, who is a willful and spirited girl (not unlike Coraline, who survives her ordeals precisely because she is both clever and such an utter brat) makes a decision about who she's going to be, rebels against the father, and promptly tromps off to make it so -- leaving quite a wake in her path. She is the epitome of a tiny force of nature.

Her decision and her magic (presumably augmented by the potion her father was going to unleash on the poor humans) do affect the balance of nature, endangering the world, and at the same time enabling the wonders of ancient oceans to return. It is, quite literally, magic of world-shaping proportions.

Meanwhile, Sosuke, the object of Ponyo's fascination, is somewhat serious, kind, considerate and responsible (or as much as can be expected of a five-year-old boy). He saves her life in the beginning of the story, gives her the means to become human, and gives her the name Ponyo, which she gleefully adopts. (Honestly, it is better than Brunhilde or "Hey, fish girl".) He is understandably distraught when Ponyo's father retrieves the magical talking fish and traps her in a bubble under the sea.

The movie goes on as expected. Ponyo and Sosuke must make a journey, helping and trusting each other; as predicted by her father, Ponyo tires and begins to lose her magic, and Sosuke ends up pushing her along. And I think that was what finally tipped me from mild amusement to flat disappointment -- suddenly Ponyo's tale bcame just another story about a girl giving up everything (home, family, friends, and especially her own inherent magic) to join the world of the boy she loves. Why does the sacrifice have to be so complete -- and so completely one-sided?

The original version holds within it a bouquet of Christian warnings; illustrations of the inherent dangers of desire and sacrifice; soul vs. magic; humans mixing with Others (whether that meant mermaids or, I suppose, those of a different class or race). I had honestly hoped that this re-telling might bend those rules, if not outright break them. I was hoping for a little balance.

I don't consider myself one of those women who get their panties in a twist over fairy tales, but I do find myself quickly tiring of certain tropes. Maybe it's a symptom of my age, or perhaps there's a sense that some of them hit too close to home, these days.

Maybe I'm just tired of armless maidens and refrigerator girls and little mermaids.

These days I'd much rather read about women whose magic is so ingrained it can't be so easily forsaken; women clever enough and strong enough to remain true to themselves without losing that balance. I want Vasilisa or Chihiro, a Coraline or a Promethea.

If there must be a little mermaid, then let her be wise enough to understand the dangers she faces, and brave enough to turn herself to foam on the water, if need be. And once in a while, if she could turn the tables, to see what her object of desire might be willing to give up for her instead ... well, that would be a fine thing to see, as well.