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Ponyo

EMAILPRINTWalt Disney Pictures

Ponyo reviews
86
7.5 User Score:

Movie Info

Genre(s): Adventure  |  Animation  |  Family/Kids  |  Fantasy

Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Melissa Mathison

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Release Date:
Theatrical: August 14, 2009
DVD: March 2, 2010

Running Time: 100 minutes, Color

Origin: Japan

Summary

RATING: G for General Audiences

Starring Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, Betty White, and Betty White

Ponyo is a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid." Already a box-office success in Japan, the story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo and her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent. (Walt Disney Pictures)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Don't tell Walt Disney, but Hayao Miyazaki really holds the keys to the magic kingdom.

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100

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

Best of all, Ponyo never ceases to be a genuine odyssey in short pants.

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100

The Onion (A.V. Club) Tasha Robinson

It’s essentially a stroll through a fantastically detailed pastel world, in which the plot is little more than an excuse for Miyazaki to dive into a world teeming with colorful (and sometimes prehistoric) life.

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100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

There is a word to describe Ponyo, and that word is magical. This poetic, visually breathtaking work by the greatest of all animators has such deep charm that adults and children will both be touched.

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100

The Hollywood Reporter Deborah Young

It is a work of great fantasy and charm that will delight children ages 3 to 100.

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100

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

You'll be planning to see Ponyo twice before you've finished seeing it once. Five minutes into this magical film you'll be making lists of the individuals of every age you can expose to the very special mixture of fantasy and folklore, adventure and affection.

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100

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

The latest masterwork from Hayao Miyazaki, places emphasis on the natural world, its tumults and fragility.

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100

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

One of Miyazaki's most kid-accessible movies, but still an unnerving film.

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100

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

A marvel.

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90

Variety Ronnie Scheib

Though targeted at tots, Ponyo may appeal most to jaded adults thirsty for wondrous beauty and unpackaged innocence

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90

Washington Post Dan Kois

Ponyo isn't Hayao Miyazaki's greatest film -- that would be a tall order in a 30-year feature career that includes the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away" -- but his beautiful, quirky fable has magic other children's movies can't touch.

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90

Wall Street Journal Joanne Kaufman

If the plot of Ponyo is small as a minnow, its themes--the relationship between parent and child, between the young and the elderly, between friends, between man and nature--are large and fully realized.

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90

Film Threat Mark Fulton

Imagination spills across the screen in a bold, undeniable presence.

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88

USA Today Claudia Puig

Miyazaki creates fascinating, fluid and whimsical scenarios.

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88

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

You watch a Miyazaki film with the pie-eyed, gape-mouthed awe of a child being read the most fantastic story and suddenly transported to places previously beyond the limits of imagination. It's quite a trip.

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88

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Calvin Wilson

Traditional in the best sense.

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88

New York Post Lou Lumenick

This environmentally themed, very loose version of Hans Christian Andersen's "Little Mermaid" is never going to be mistaken for Disney's musical of the same name.

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88

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Miyazaki works marvels. Sit back and behold.

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83

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

An entertaining and fascinating film.

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80

New York Magazine David Edelstein

Liam Neeson has gravely splendid pipes as Ponyo’s father, a once-human wizard who lives underwater and despises humankind for polluting the planet.

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80

Village Voice Scott Foundas

It's a movie for anyone who, like Miyazaki himself, can still happily commune with his inner five-year-old.

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78

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Ponyo is another conceptually and thrilingly original masterstroke from an animator who long ago left Walt Disney in the dust.

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75

ReelViews James Berardinelli

My sense is that adults will be more taken with Ponyo than their offspring.

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75

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

A movie loaded with strange delights.

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75

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Even by Miyazaki standards, Ponyo makes less narrative sense than it should, and the pat ending is a bit of a letdown.

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75

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Alan Niester

In short, it's very much a charming kids' film, created by a master of animation.

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70

Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall

Compared to "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Kiki's Delivery Service," this is one of the anime master's weaker efforts.

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60

New York Daily News Joe Neumaier

Trippy in the right way, and wholly enchanting.

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50

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

His (Miyazaki) stories, and often his character design, just leave me cold. I know I'm supposed to be magically transported by his fanciful tales and his whimsical grandiosity, but they make me listless.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 67 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Joey C gave it a10:
My brother and I (him 19 and me 22) went to see this one together. Beautiful film, perfect in every way. We laughed through the whole thing. The theatre erupted with the giggles of children every time Ponyo did something silly. Had serious moments as well, I even cried. Not sure why anyone would rate this film low. An instant classic and masterpiece.

Brian C gave it a7:
Not quite as good as Totoro, but if you and your kids are fans of Miyazaki it's worth seeing.

Ken Z gave it a4:
I've really enjoyed all of Miyazaki's previous films, but this left me pretty disappointed. The animation was subpar compared to any of his other films and the story is quite frankly makes no sense. Done right, the line between reality and fantasy is blurred until you have forgotten there was anything but the fantasy, but in Ponyo they chose never to address reality at all.

Jason B gave it a9:
The most beautiful, lyrical, and humorous passages of Ponyo occur when Ponyo is discovering the human world, and when Ponyo and Sosuke travel to look for Sosuke’s mother. Sosuke maintains his bond to protect Ponyo even when his own life appears to be falling apart. He is a wise, perceptible and mature child, which is dutifully acknowledged by his mother. The love between Sosuke and Ponyo is pure and innocent. The first words we hear Ponyo say are “Ponyo loves Sosuke!”

Nick T gave it a10:
A simple narrative, simply told, leaving room for you to enjoy the many wonderful moments. I thought it was very much like Totoro in that regard and Ponyo has easily become one of my favourite Ghibli films, along with Totoro and Spirited Away.

Tom P gave it a10:
Superb animation, beautiful art, touching emotional dimension, environmental message without sour bludgeoning like WALL-E. For all ages.

Kelly M gave it a1:
I waited for a moment where I might feel some sort of emotion for at least one character in the film. I waited and waited. I then waited a little longer. I sat in the theater watching the credits roll to some of the worst music I have ever heard. When it was over all I can say is "I waited." If you enjoy waiting by all means go see it. If you would like to be more productive with your time I suggest painting a room in your house and wait for the paint to dry. It is equally entertaining.

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