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Princess Mononoke review by The Wolf
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Acclaimed animator, Hayao Miyazaki's 1997 box office smash, 'Princess Mononoke', is one of Japan's highest grossing films ever. And so it should be.
Set in medieval Japan, 'Princess Mononoke' tells the story of a war between Lady Eboshi and the people of Irontown (Tatara Ba) and the many animal gods of the forest of the Shishigami (The Deer God of Life and Death). Among these animal gods is San, otherwise known as Princess Mononoke (Princess of the Beasts). She is a human adopted by the wolf god, Moro, and will do anything to kill Eboshi. Into the fray comes Ashitaka, a young prince of the dying Emishi people. Ashitaka is cursed when he tries to defend his village from a fallen Boar God. He travels far with his trusty red elk, Yakul, to find a cure. Upon reaching the Forest of the God of Life and Death, he tries to find a way for the two sides to reconcile with each other. But something more sinister develops when Jiko, a monk on a mission, appears in Irontown.
This is animation at its best. The sheer beauty of the ancient world is so alive in this movie; your breath is taken away instantaneously. The imagination used and inspiration drawn upon are so enchanting in this film, especially the use of old Japanese beliefs, like the Kodama, the tree spirits. The character designs are very detailed and beautiful, but at the same time, slightly alarming to look at. The accompanying music is extravagant and captivating, as it should be. The Japanese cast is perfect, though the same can't be said about the English cast, which was appalling. The only exceptions were Minnie Driver as Eboshi and Billy Crudup as Ashitaka. Claire Danes is atrocious as San, delivering words that are out of tune with the emotions San experiences in the movie. Billy Bob Thornton as Jiko wasn't as outstanding as he could be, but some people may want to disagree. Jada Pinkett Smith sounds out of place as Toki, the self-proclaimed leader of the women who work in the iron forge.
When this film came out, many Studio Ghibli fans disapproved of it. Many said that it was nothing like Miyazaki's other piece, the highly praised 'My Neighbour Totoro', simply because it has too much violence and gore. Though it is true that a great deal of gore is present, it is used to good effect. Princess Mononoke tells us of the violence that happens around people everyday and the need for someone, in this case Ashitaka, to stand up and put an end to the chaos. And it does this magnificently.
Princess Mononoke mirrors one of Miyazaki's earlier films, the 1988 'Nausicaa and the Valley of the Winds'. By far, Mononoke is the better of the two. With so many great films, it's easy to see why Miyazaki is considered to be one of the best.
~ The Wolf
