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Movie Review: Princess Mononoke (1997)

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Guest

A film by Hayao Miyazaki

This is probably the best Miyazaki film that I have seen. It rivals Kiki s Delivery Service for having a story that I could get involved in and truly enjoy, but it also surpasses Spirited Away in terms of quality and storytelling craft (in my view). Kiki s Delivery Service used to be my favorite Miyazaki film, but I believe that has now changed. Princess Mononoke is a superior film.

This is a fairly complex story about technology vs nature. Near the beginning there is a boar which appears to be covered in some kind of grub worms. Wherever the boar steps, the grass and trees die. The boar is on a rampage and when it appear that the boar is headed for his village, Ashitaka (Billy Crudup) is forced to attack and kill the boar. Only then does Ashitaka learn that the boar was really a forest god turned demon. Ashitaka was infected and the iron ball that was the poison inside the boar is also going to poison and kill Ashitaka. Ashitaka heads to the west to find out how to seek out the Great Forest Spirit and find a way to cure this poison.

Ashitaka finds his way to Iron Town and meets the leader, Lady Eboshi (Minnie Driver). Eboshi initially seems to be the villain, but as we get to learn more about her we see that she is not a villain, but rather simply human. She is destroying the environment to create iron weapons and materials, but she has also rescued prostitutes from brothels and takes care of them. She is both sympathetic as well as a harbinger of destruction. Eboshi has a nemesis in a young girl living with the wolves named San (Claire Danes). San has been raised by the wolf gods and is fighting to preserve the forest and the gods. Ashitaka sees the good in both, even if neither San nor Eboshi can see the positives in the other.

I have only touched on the surface of the depth of this movie. It is a story so big that it could only be told in animation (I just don t think that live action could have succeeded with this story). The animation is beautiful, if a little graphic at times with the violence. This is definitely not children s animation. Besides being one of the best films of Miyazaki s career, I would rate this as a great movie. Period. Forget about it being a great animated movie, this is a great movie. Princess Mononoke also features the voice talent of Gillian Anderson, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Billy Bob Thornton (who does a fantastic job). This is a must see.

i give this 5 out of 5 pugs.
 

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shelee

This movie did go virtually unnoticed in the U.S., yet was a smashing success in Japan. With the hype of anime, I think there is renewed interest in it. I for one love anime and Hayao Miyazaki well :bowdown: For those of you who haven't heard of him he's Japan's animation guru. Princess Mononoke like his other movies almost feel like a dream turned nightmare, exploring the themes of environment. The movie is gory, though. I wouldn't show this one to children. It's very violent. Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky are just as you said not as depthful or thought provoking as Princess Mononoke because of who it's intended audience, children. While the same themes are introduced in these two films as was explored in Princess Monokoke, machine vs. nature namely, these movie emphasizes a fantasy and also a coming to age.
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