22, live in North Wales. I've done quite a few reviews that aren't on Ciao here: http://www.gamesboo...
22, live in North Wales. I've done quite a few reviews that aren't on Ciao here: http://www.gamesbooksfilms.com :)
Member since:19.06.2003
Reviews:221
Members who trust:151
I don't know what possessed me to buy Princess Mononoke, as I had never even seen a Japanese anime before let alone bought one. But, boasting some big name contributions and a very respectable price tag (£6.99 - better than half the price internet companies wanted for it), I decided to make a purchase. Even if I was enthusiastic about this films prospects, nothing had prepared me for how good it would eventually turn out to be.
The highest-grossing anime film in Japanese history, Princess Mononoke is a truly epic animation - the plot centres around the young warrior Ashitaka (Billy Crudup) who upon trying to defend his village from a demon boer, is touched by the creature, inheriting it's curse. Ashitaka cannot stay in his village - he is effectively banished and told he must go and 'meet his destiny'. He then embarks on a long, tough journey to find the Forest Spirit and be relieved of his curse.
After the opening ten minutes or so then, the impression is of this young man simply striving to achieve the one goal of being cured of a deadly and evil curse, but as things pan out they prove a lot more complex and intriguing than you would have imagened. Ashitaka unwittingly becomes entangled in a bitter rivallery between the humans of Iron Town, lead by Lady Eboshi (Minnie Driver),
and the wolves and boers of the forest, each filled with hatred and resentment toward the other.
The twist here comes in the form of the wolf-child, San (Claire Danes), a girl who has been raised into the wolf race and seems to despise humans. The goal she relentlessly pursues is that of slaying Lady Eboshi, who critically injured the Wolf-God, Moro (Gillian Anderson). Eboshi and San duel, but when Ashitaka steps in and takes San away from the angry mob of Iron Town, they slowly form a curious friendship. For Ashitaka, it becomes a race against time to prevent the destruction of the forest and total annihilation of all it's inhabitants, including the Forest Spirit, as the three races prepare for a final battle.
Most striking about the film is it's astounding visuals and special effects. The fact that it has all been animated has by no means stunted it's potential - if anything it has meant that the most imagenative wishes of creator Hayao Miyazaki have been fulfilled, being converted in glorious fashion into the film without the financial cost you would assosiate with the likes of Lord of the Rings - Princess Mononoke is every bit as good in terms of the stunning backdrops that are featured throughout, and though it is in animated form, the depth, detail and sheer originality of many landscapes is magnificent.
The characters are similarly brilliant. Ashitaka's quest is a painful and difficult one but adding to his problems is that as the mark of his curse grows bigger, he seems to react more and more to the anger and hatred of others - most evident in the sword-fight clash between Lady Eboshi and San. Each and every character has their own goal to fight for over the course of the film and refreshingly, there are no true goodies and nobody that could be classed as villainous in the story, as no matter how questionable their motivations, everyone is fighting for their own cause and for others like them. Minnie Driver's character Lady Eboshi is probably the best example - in Iron Town, the place she effectively rules, she is adored and apprieciated by the townsfolk. A light-hearted woman, her sinister goals of destroying the forest to retrieve the iron from beneath and killing the Forest Spirit for it's head are fuelled not by evil but the simple ideal of maintaining and expanding her town, and to keep the Samurai's off of her territory.
There isn't a performance in the film that is not brimming with personality, though the well-cast secondary characters of the chirpy red-nosed Monk Jigo (Billy-Bob Thornton) and lively member of the Iron Town community Toki (Jada Pinkett-Smith) steal the show. The story for the most part is a fairly serious and focused affair, but these two characters add the perfect amount of humour in short intermissions that fit in really well.
I can't fault the soundtrack - it is supreme. Music switches between haunting, exciting and mysterious depending on the situation at the time. The orchestral efforts certainly weren't tagged on as an after-thought - they prove crucial to the atmosphere of the film and at times are truly wonderful.
The certificate on Princess Mononoke is PG - this would suggest that it is suitable for all but the very young. Despite only appearing as cartoon-violence, some of the battle scenes are actually fairly graphic - several times throughout you will witness limbs and heads being severed with almost wild-abandon. Having watched it through a couple of times, it isn't too bad, but as there are some blood-soaked moments and occasional swearing, it probably isn't suitable for the younger audience.
The film runs for 2 hours and 8 minutes, which is quite long as animated films go and because of the large array of colourful characters, developments and conflicts, you may have watch it through a couple of times to fully understand the nature of the story. It is thoroughly watchable and as my parents really enjoyed as well, I get the impression that you don't have to be a teenager to apprieciate the action. Princess Mononoke may be destined to have it's potential wasted in the wake of more popular adventures such as Lord of the Rings, but for anybody interested in the genre, it would be a crime to miss out on this classic, one that in my household at least, will be watched for many years to come.
*DVD Extras* In terms of extras, the disc is a little bare. It does contain a short featurette containing mini-interviews with the voice-actors Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, Billy-Bob Thornton, Billy Crudup and Jada Pinkett-Smith, plus a short trailor for the film and the usual scene-selection option as well. I bought the DVD for £6.99 on the high-street although this type of film is not the most readily available in the shops, so you may have to hunt around to find it at a good price.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Recently finished watching this, brilliant anime, and what you say is so true :D -Shaun
heideroosjes 02.05.2005 02:43
Really good anime. thoroughly enjoyable. Alex
werewolf 09.12.2004 22:46
A very comprehensive op about a difficult genre to convey to others. My boyfriend loves these films and would probably love this. Plenty of useful information about characters without giving away the whole plot. Well done.
A beautifully realized tale of civilization versus nature, PRINCESS MONONOKE is a true ... more
epic by Japan's master animator Hayao Miyazaki. While protecting his village from a rampaging boar-god, the warrior Ashitaka (Billy Crudup) is cursed with a rapidly ...
exceptional by (4%):
very helpful by (96%):
