Porco (Michael Keaton), originally Italian ace pilot Marco, is a bounty hunter in the Adriatic Sea in 1929. Through events that are never definitively explained, Marco has been transformed into a pig, leaving Marco behind and becoming Porco Rosso (The Red Pig). In a world where sea planes rule, he protects others from air/sea pirates including the Mamma Aiuto Gang whose boss is voiced by Brad Garrett. Even though they are rivals, there is a certain understanding between Porco and the pirates that allows them to co-exist. Some of the pirates tire of this, however, and contract American flying ace Curtis (a southern accented Cary Elwes) to shoot him down.
There's also a love interest, Madame Gina (Broadway star Susan Egan), and a young mechanic girl named Fio (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) who is mature beyond her years.
Despite starring a flying pig, this could pretty much be classified as historical fiction. There's commentary on Italian fascism and flashbacks to WWI. It is easily one of Miyazaki's most realistic films despite Porco's condition. In some ways, this works, but at the same time it means that there's a certain magic that usually embodies a Miyazaki film that is just not here. Magic, literallys, is present, obviously, but the charm of his other tales isn't.
It is a very interesting and different anime, but it's just not all that great. It is an odd mashup, sometimes feeling like an old Popeye cartoon, at others, like a hardboiled detective film melded with a war flick. It does gel, but what it gels into I can't be sure. I can't quite put my finger on what made this less enjoyable. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't recommend it over any of his other movies.
*** (3/5 stars)
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