Film Review: Film in 2021–“Belle”, It’s Internet World Here

Belle traverses between the real world, in Japan, and an elaborate world wide web of personas, which should be right up Japan’s ally with their interest in technology, their isolation from each other, and finding a connection with another may be easier behind the mask.

Story

In the real world of humanity, human interest, and worldly failings, Suzu, Hiroka, and Ruka are three diverse young women still at school who have their personal and emotional struggles, and interests in males and having male relationships.
Relevantly, the internet is such a huge part of connecting with others and how they judge their sense of who they are, but taking on internet personas protects them from being themselves online, which sort of goes against the grain of ‘sharing’ yourself and find a real human connection.

An important piece of the story is where Suzu and her close friend seek out the identity of a ‘beast’ (his online persona) who is causing mayhem over the internet. Online, this quest becomes like the Beauty and the Beast, as the lovely Belle beckons into the castle of the ‘beast’, who is he really and why does she want to make a connection with him?

Going Deeper

Belle usually sings to an adoring mob of followers, but her relationship with the Beast and what it all means has every online persona looking in and have a say. Going deeper into the soul, the person behind the persona may be afraid to “unveil”.  Having said that, what about the pressing issues of privacy and online predators causing one to withdraw? And if one did show their real self, would one end up rejected? It’s funny then that Belle seeks out a potentially dangerous online presence…

Themes

Face it, the internet can hurt and be dangerous, but what if your fears went and with one swift stroke your followers loved the real self in an unveiling? Wishful thinking perhaps…

Response

These are the issues this animated film tackles and layers them in artfully, but does it become the same thing it is exposing, with stunning looking avatars and personas but no resonance. Truly unveiling our real selves without reservation online is a frightening matter.

I was unsure who the real person was behind the persona until the great unveiling towards the end. That is really to the film’s detriment.

 

Voices: Kaho Nakamura, Lilas Ikuta, Hunter Schafer, Takeru Satoh, Mamoru Miyano. Screenplay and Director: Mamoru Hosoda. Released July 16, 2021.