Weathering with you review

It's true. I don't enjoy anything anymore. I'm old and jaded and have too much lingering thoughts of doubt and negativity. Whilst I don't like that about myself, I just wanted to let this out of my chest, "Weathering with you was average"

Well... I didn't like it. It was a great movie visually, but the storyline, character development and themes explored were all 'Meh'. The good visuals eventually felt like they put a shine filter on their dull picture. 

As a love story, it was good. There's a good build up between 2 characters. The problem is that both characters weren't very likeable for me. They were just a bit too juvenile, meaning they made rash decisions, bad choices and had a lot of selfishness. And whilst Japan where collectivism is embraced a bit too much, a bit of selfishness is a good thing to be promoted here and there, for other western societies where selfishness has increased to the point where it does hurt other people here and there, it's not pleasant seeing it promoted like this.

I didn't like how it played out the theme of climate change. So one of the message everyone seem to always talk about when talking about this movie is that, "climate change is affecting the younger generation and we shouldn't sacrifice their happiness for our temporary happiness." And that message on it's own is great. The problem is how the movie played it out and disconnected the message from the viewer completely. The climate in this universe is not necessarily man made. It hints to us that it MIGHT be, but that's where it ends. and whilst the current climate change that we are facing should be fixed by all of us, for example buying less from companies that pollute, importing less goods and travelling less etc, this movie never gives the viewers any of this message. If the movie started off with a clear message that the climate change in this universe is man made and that humans were the ones that were sacrificing little girls to stop it, it would have connected a lot more to the universe and reality we live in. But it doesn't. Instead, it shows climate as this mythical weather creature living just above Tokyo and the sacrifice is not necessarily done by the community, but magical entity just choses a random girl and as she prays, she magically starts to disappear. That takes away the selfishness of people completely. I guess the old grandma at the end talks about how Tokyo used to be under the sea about 200 years ago, but literally no explanation is made as to why they made Tokyo dry and built a city there, or whether it was actually humans sacrificing girls to make it or not. I mean to us, as audience, it now has become a complete fantasy world, devoid of real life connection and the girl just seems selfish to not disappear with the weather creature or whatever, since they just put a whole city underwater. People would've no doubt lost lives because of this (with flooding, poverty depression etc). 

Another thing I hate about this movie is that; Nothing is explained well.

Gun. What?? Where did it come from? Why is it there? Why didn't Hodaka throw it away? (it was just a random plot device for no reason at all)

Run away. Why was Hodaka so desperate to run away and put pain on his parents? It shows a glimpse of his face being roughed up back when he was in the island. I mean, if he was bullied... like... that's it?? There were no clear conclusion as to how it went after he went back, like did he grow as a person and was he able to manage his life back in the island after all the things he went through? Like did his parents even exist?  What was the point of that scene where two girls interact with Hodaka near the end? 

Lastly I just wanted to say the character development was piss poor. I guess I'm a sucker for feel good movies where people have developed in some way in the duration of the movie. Like a big incident happens and people become more loving, caring, or brave etc always gives me a great after taste because it gives you the sense that you also grew with the movie. But this one... I... didn't get any of that. None of the characters felt like they were better people because they went through all that. Even that middle aged single dad dude. He was a wishy washy slapstick character who loved his daughter, and in the end of the movie, he was more or less the same, except I guess it hinted that he became a bit more loving?? I don't know, didn't even feel that, it felt about the same. The main 2 characters were all wishy washy and a bit selfish saying, "hey look f*k the weather and everyone else", and in the end of the movie, they were exactly the same.

Anyway, I just wanted to rant all that. So now I'm ranted out.

I feel like that youtube video below explained other dislike points very well.

Weathering With You Is Bad | Tenki No Ko | 天気の子

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG4OFxcqdZw&ab_channel=IbaraAkai