It’s hard to believe that Earwig and the Witch is the famed Studio Ghibli’s first 3D CG animated feature. The renowned studio has gifted audiences with such exuberant films like Spirited Away and The Wind Rises. With Earwig and the Witch, however, the film falls short of delivering a fully realized story and it leaves a lot to be desired. While Earwig and the Witch's CG animation is lovely and memorably unique, it can’t begin to save an underdeveloped plot and characters.
Based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones, Earwig and the Witch follows the story of Earwig (Kokoro Hirasawa), a spirited and mischievous ten-year-old who grew up unaware that her mother was a witch. Earwig’s mom (Sherina Munaf) dropped off her daughter at an orphanage when she was a baby after being chased by unknown figures, believing the only way to protect Earwig was to leave her behind. Years later, Earwig is adopted by the witch Bella Yaga (Shinobu Terajima), who needs a helping hand with her spells, and the Mandrake (Etsushi Toyokawa), a fearsome man who doesn’t like to be disturbed by noise. Together, they make for an odd pair and Earwig is in for a rude awakening and the biggest challenge of her life.
Earwig and the Witch — which was directed by Gorō Miyazaki, with a screenplay by Keiko Niwa and Emi Gunji — maintains some of the charm by focusing on the eccentric relationship between its three characters. Earwig takes pleasure in doing anything and everything to grate on Bella Yaga’s nerves while trying her hardest to escape the confines of her situation. The Mandrake remains a mystery for most of the film, though, and it’s a shame because there is a lot of potential lost by not building upon his connection with Bella Yaga and Earwig.
However, as intriguing and unique as the characters are, the film’s story doesn’t live up to its initial potential. When the film opens with Earwig’s mom being on the run, it’s expected that the animation would tackle or, at the very least, address what happened to her. Why was she really on the run and why did she stay away for so long? Unfortunately, Earwig and the Witch is not interested in this plot or her backstory. Neither, apparently, is Earwig, whose curiosity should have gotten the better of her. Considering how precocious and smart she is, the fact that she doesn’t bother investigating her mother’s identity does a disservice to the story.
The issue isn’t even in its CGI animation, which is wonderful. It’s teeming with color and a sharp, magical vibrancy, infused with a personality the narrative altogether lacks. The pacing isn’t necessarily slow, but there is a general tediousness about the film that stalls its momentum and bogs down the narrative. It’s as if the filmmakers were holding back, which leaves the storytelling wanting. What’s more, Earwig and the Witch leaves its most interesting moments and revelations to the very end, tacked on as though a cliffhanger ending to a TV episode and not a film. By then, it’s far too late for the audience to be invested in what may or may not come next.
Studio Ghibli’s first foray into the world of 3D CG animation is promising, but where Earwig and the Witch could have used a push is in how to develop a compelling story. There is no spark nor a deeper connection between the characters, whose development would have greatly helped along the second act of the film. After all, there’s only so long a movie can rely on being somewhat charismatic before realizing that there is actually no cohesive plot. Earwig and the Witch has all the parts needed to be a fun and memorable film, but seems to lack the manual for how to bring it all together.
Earwig and the Witch is playing in select theaters on February 3, 2021 and will be available to stream on HBO Max on February 5, 2021. The film is 82 minutes long and is rated PG for some scary images and rude material.
Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments!