"The Journey of Suzu" was previously translated as "Suzuhime's Pact." Compared to the previous name, I prefer the name "The Journey of Suzu" as it is more direct. Just by looking at the name, you can tell that it is a story about a girl's journey and personal growth.
The story of "The Journey of Suzu" is said to be based on Japanese folklore and the 3.11 earthquake in Japan. These elements are clearly reflected in the film, especially the "worm calamity." This is a disaster that has existed since ancient times and their emergence triggers massive earthquakes, resembling natural disasters in real life. Not everyone in the film can see the worm calamity (only the closed-door master, Suzu, and Yakushi can see it), and it is not everywhere, so people cannot predict when disasters will occur.
There are two interesting aspects in the film:
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The worm calamity mostly appears in places that were once prosperous but are now ruins. This may be a reflection of the decrease in human population, in my personal speculation.
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The incantation of Kusuta (the closed-door master).
Ponder and ponder again
Pray to the unseen god of the sun
Pray to the ancestral land god
This mountain, this river, has been blessed for a long time, and I am grateful
Sincerely fearful, sincerely fearful
I will follow the divine will and return it
I specifically searched for this incantation, and the meaning of the above passage translated is:
O awe-inspiring gods
O ancient ancestral land
Please allow me to respectfully return this land and river that you have bestowed upon me
Therefore, the film expresses the need to maintain reverence for nature while also commemorating those who tragically lost their lives in disasters. However, Makoto Shinkai is not satisfied with simply expressing this. He also wants to convey warmth to people. At the end of the film, when little Suzu asks the older Suzu who came from the future, "Who are you?" Her answer is, "I am your tomorrow." Personally, I think this is the most admirable aspect of the film. With just a few words, it gives people hope and longing. In fact, it is also a message to the survivors of the 3.11 earthquake: do not dwell in the pain of loss, but seek hope in life, which is the best comfort for the departed loved ones.
Of course, there are also some aspects of the film that I am dissatisfied with.
I have watched several of Makoto Shinkai's films, and I have seen the first two parts of the disaster trilogy. "The Garden of Words" and "5 Centimeters Per Second" outside of the trilogy are also good. Many of Makoto Shinkai's films depict youth and love, but there is always some regret in this love.
However, in "The Journey of Suzu," the romantic storyline is greatly diluted, and the downside is that the development of the relationship between the male and female leads is not well elaborated. It feels like Makoto Shinkai wants it both ways. This film is positioned as a story of a girl's self-growth and redemption, so I find the romantic development between Kusuta and Suzu quite inexplicable and somewhat rushed. I still can't understand why Suzu is so dependent on Kusuta, even willing to risk her life for him. Is it just because she saw him in the afterlife when she was a child? It feels a bit forced. So personally, I think it would have been better to simplify the romantic storyline between the two and focus more on the girl's growth.
It is because the strengths and weaknesses of this film are so apparent that the online reviews of this film are quite polarized. Personally, as a film for the general audience, Makoto Shinkai wanted to express too much in this film, but due to the length, many plot points were not fully developed. If you are watching a Makoto Shinkai film for the first time, you may find it more confusing. Just by listening to Makoto Shinkai's interviews, you can tell that the director has a lot more to say. Recently, he even created a Douban account to explain some of the plot points to the audience. It's no wonder some people joke that "The Journey of Suzu" is a story that is one-third in the cinema, one-third in the novel, and one-third in the director's interviews.
Overall, I would give this film a score of 7 or 7.5 out of 10. Although the plot has some flaws, they are acceptable, and you don't have to worry about the music and visuals in Makoto Shinkai's films. The music in "The Journey of Suzu" is the best in the trilogy, and after leaving the cinema, what stuck with me was not only Kusuta's incantation but also the music in the film.