Today’s quick review: The Secret World of Arrietty. Arrietty is part of a miniscule family that lives in the walls of a human house in rural Japan. Her family “borrows” what they need from the humans, taking pins, thimbles, scraps, and knick-knacks to furnish their home and equip themselves for a dangerous world. Arrietty longs to follow her father on his borrowing expeditions, but he forbids her out of concern for her safety. When Arrietty ventures out on her own, she is discovered by the sickly, kind-hearted boy who recently moved into the house. As their friendship grows, the question arises of whether Arrietty’s family can remain now that their presence has been discovered.
The Secret World of Arrietty is a loose adaptation of the children’s book The Borrowers from Studio Ghibli. The story deals with themes of growing up, teenage rebellion, and exploration. As with all of Studio Ghibli’s works, the animation quality is superb. The realism of the animation is jaw-dropping and extends right down to the twitches and shimmies of the cat. Arrietty’s diminutive size allows the film to show the world from a fresh perspective: pins become swords, sugar cubes become feasts, and cats become lethal predators. The Secret World of Arrietty is an absolute delight to watch for its animation and setting alone.
The story and its characters are good, but they lack the polish of Studio Ghibli’s other works. Arrietty is a fine protagonist in the tradition of Nausicaa from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind or Chihiro from Spirited Away, but the boy she befriends is somewhat less interesting. The plot rambles and lacks a strong overarching conflict, although there is plenty of immediate danger. The lack of supernatural elements apart from the size of Arrietty’s family separates the film from Studio Ghibli’s other work, trading colorful Japanese folklore for the magic found in day-to-day life.
The Secret World of Arrietty is worth watching if you enjoy gorgeous animation and do not mind a low-conflict, child-friendly story. Unlike Studio Ghibli’s best work, which succeeds at all levels, The Secret World of Arrietty merely has splendid animation, a pleasant tone, and a serviceable story. Fans of Studio Ghibli will enjoy the film for its artistry but need not worry that their old favorites will be dethroned. Those who are trying Studio Ghibli for the first time would do better to start with Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, or Princess Mononoke, but The Secret World of Arrietty is an enjoyable movie that makes a worthy introduction in a pinch.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for high-quality animation and a delightful world.