Tales from Earthsea

Name: Tales from Earthsea
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Animation
Released: August 13, 2010
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 47
Cast: Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe

2010

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Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 100 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 100 Ratings

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Tales From Earthsea

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Movie Details & Credits

Touchstone Pictures | Release Date: August 13, 2010 | PG-13

Starring: Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe

Summary: Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meetsSomething bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy's "fears" against the very one who would help him, Ged.… Expand

Director: Goro Miyazaki

Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Animation

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 115 min

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Critic Reviews

Kyle Smith

The Miyazaki legacy is in good hands. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine Amy Nicholson

An odd little film that aims only to please itself. Read full review

Keith Uhlich

The sights and sounds are splendid--a lovingly hand-detailed portside city, a touching musical interlude in a windswept field--though they're largely disconnected from the narrative proper. Read full review

Peter Hartlaub

This film is too scary for very young children, while older fans are likely to focus on the film not faring well in comparison to the elder Miyazaki's recent work. Read full review

Stephen Holden

Feels a little like a science-fiction Sunday school pageant. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

An artistically arresting yet narratively lame and strangely unfocused cartoon aimed at older children and young adults. Read full review

Michael Atkinson

Earthsea seems to be a stupendously dull place. It would try the patience of any kid. Read full review

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User Reviews

LittleMatthew

Sep 24, 2014

I don't understand why some people think this is the worst Ghibli movie. It's just amazing!
I certainly didn't failed to entertain me.
I think Hayao's son has a great future ahead in animation.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

KieranRhino

Sep 27, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Im just gave it a 10 for a higher score, I'd probably give it a 7/10 or an 8/10.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LanaDelRey

Mar 23, 2013

Visually This Film Is Perfect... Some Parts Of The Movie Didn't Really Belong.. But Tales From Earthsea Is One Of Best Animated Films Of 2009 Despite Critic's!

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

alejandro970

Mar 8, 2020

I didn't read the original book, yet. However it's a well meaning story about a declining realm and the dysfunctional, troubled characters, and their efforts for save it from disgrace. The first effort of Goro Miyazaki for following the footsteps of his father is notorious but a little farI didn't read the original book, yet. However it's a well meaning story about a declining realm and the dysfunctional, troubled characters, and their efforts for save it from disgrace. The first effort of Goro Miyazaki for following the footsteps of his father is notorious but a little far from the big shots. For killing 115 minutes painless.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

heyitsmegrif4

Jan 2, 2012

It has Studio Ghibli's gorgeous animation but a story that is boring. It is wonderous along with its visuals but with weak voice acting it fails. I give this movie 54%.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

Sierra-117

Dec 6, 2020

This is the film that should have launched Goro Miyazaki’s career (the son of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki), but unfortunately he failed rather spectacularly to capture any of the magic so prominent in his father’s work. Watching this film, it’s so blatantly obvious that Goro isThis is the film that should have launched Goro Miyazaki’s career (the son of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki), but unfortunately he failed rather spectacularly to capture any of the magic so prominent in his father’s work. Watching this film, it’s so blatantly obvious that Goro is attempting to replicate some of Miyazaki’s themes, characters and just general tropes. He reintroduces that classic naivety so common amongst Miyazaki protagonists, but it just does not work at all. Arren is pretty much just a redo of **** but in order to add some much needed 'complexity', he’s given a dark side which instead just makes him seem both unlikable and unrealistic simultaneously. Within the first 15 minutes of the movie he literally kills his father for no reason other than "I don’t know what made me do it". I think it’s safe to say that Arren is my far the worst protagonist I’ve ever seen in a Ghibli movie. Tales From Earthsea is based on a four part series by acclaimed author Ursula Le Guin, who herself has made absolutely clear that she despised the film. For some absurd reason, Goro Miyazaki decided to adapt the third book whilst also borrowing some elements from the fourth, and in the end it just results in the narrative being an absolute **** In A Wizard Of Earthsea, the first novel in the series, we are introduced to Sparrowhawk (or Ged) when he’s only a child, and we are shown every aspect of Le Guin’s extraordinary world through his every experience, however in the film we are thrust into the third act of Sparrowhawk’s journey with little to no context, and thus we are forced to sit through heaps and heaps of forced exposition, which doesn’t even fully explain many aspects. To make things worse, other than the names and overall plot (which is still drastically changed), there is almost no semblance to the original novels. Sparrowhawk used to be an arrogant, naive yet kind wizard, but now he’s pretty much just an animated Gandalf. Tenar used to be wild and vulgar, yet also good hearted, but now she is reduced to the most generic mother figure you’ll ever see on television. It’s like they just dumbed everything down to make it easier for the average American viewer to understand or something? Le Guin’s main criticism was that Goro turned her brilliant world of both dazzling fantastical elements and heaps of moral ambiguity, into a cliche black and white narrative, which pitches the entire story as just a battle between good vs evil (or light versus dark). The antagonist, Cob, was formed by Sparrowhawk when he was younger and more arrogant, however in the film he’s just... the bad guy. There are a few subtle references to Sparrowhawk, Tenar and Cob’s backstory, (for example the fact that Ged used to be a stable boy from Gont is briefly touched upon, as are the Tombs of Atuan), but when I say they’re subtle, I mean it. I’m pretty sure it would fly right over the heads of everyone who hasn’t read the books. I could go on for hours about how badly Goro Miyazaki adapted my favourite series, and how I’ve never seen half as much wasted potential in my life, however to spare you a full on rant I’ll move on.
The dialogue is also pretty poor. At times a character might say something really cheesy like "I’m doing this, for life", but we’re expected to just go with it because there’s epic music in the background (sound at all familiar? I’m looking at you Endgame). To be fair, there are some points it is somewhat effective, and I’m able to shrug it off and attempt to live in the moment. This film isn’t all bad. The score (oh the score *chiefs kiss*) is absolutely phenomenal. Tamiya Terashima made a soundtrack so beautiful and effective that it even rivals some of Joe Hisaishi’s work. If you’re like me, where the difference between a boring and enjoyable moment can often be the use of a soundtrack, then Tales From Earthsea might still hold some entertainment value. Of course, like any Ghibli film, the animation is top notch, and these two elements combined with Le Guin’s perfect world building, make my time with this film actually somewhat enjoyable. As much as I hate how dumbed down the characters are, I do enjoy Sparrowhawk and Therru’s presence on screen, so much so in fact that they almost (ALMOST) save the film from Anakin Skywalker *cough* I mean Arren’s awful writing. That being said, despite the great soundtrack, animation and world building, I cannot in good conscience say that Tales From Earthsea is a good movie, or even a decent movie. In the end, it’s just jaw droppingly mediocre.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

anthonybobby

Feb 20, 2021

Whatever this movie is, I would say ''heck no''! I wouldn't get this movie if I were you.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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