Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2014

Boy, talk about a misleading title. How about “Middling”? I like “Underwhelming.” It seems there’s a battle raging in our forests between two races of tiny people, one of which causes things to grow and another that seeks only decay. Stumbling into this world is a disaffected teen embarrassed by her geeky scientist dad’s obsession with said fairy war. This one looks great, but the story’s so repetitive and filled with over-familiar tropes that it probably plays better with the sound off. Lots of celebrity voice talent. Little momentum or imagination. From the people who did Ice Age and Rio. ‘Nuff said. Japanese title: Mary to Himitsu no Okoku. (102 min)