PRINCESS MONONOKE : When a demon attacks a small village, Prince
Ashitaka battles the creature and is cursed by its poison. The Elder of the
village reveals that the curse is deadly and will cause him great pain before
killing him. In an attempt to save himself, Ashitaka journeys to the town that
may have been responsible for the demon that cursed him, and discovers the town
has been under attack by a tribe of wolves lead by a wolf-raised human girl, determined to drive the humans from the forests they're destroying.
One of Hayao Miyazaki's best works, "Mononoke-hime" is a favorite among anime fans for its attention to detail and complex plot. Director Miyazaki is known for conveying his views metaphorically into his films, and Princess Mononoke views the era of construction from the eyes of the creatures that lose their homes through deforestation. Out of anger towards humans for their cruel actions, the leaders of the animal tribes wage war against the powerful Lady Eboshi, the woman responsible for mutilating the vast forests surrounding her town. Leading the wolf tribe is San, who was raised by the tribe's wise leader Moro, a large wolf that chose not to devour San upon discovering her. San grew up despising humans as her animal brothers did, and her only purpose is to kill Eboshi at all costs and take back the forest. Ashitaka, caught in the middle of the battle, simply wants the humans and forest animals to live in peace with each other, which is an outrageous idea on both parts.
Princess Mononoke, aside from being beautifully animated with a score to match, is very moving and inspiring to those who take a good look at the movie in depth. Though the film is very long (about 2 hours), any fan of Miyazaki's previous works such as Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service will feel nothing but honored and excited to use the time watching this mystifying film.
The film does, however, hold a R rating. The film is violent nearly throughout, there are many war scenes and many animals are killed. Humans limbs are removed through the film and the dead, burnt bodies of animals and humans can be seen. Though nothing is too graphic, there is a great deal of blood to go around. Unless you are fearful of the sight of blood, the violence should not be a reason to stray from the film.
Overall Rating:
/ 5
Audio:
The Legend of Ashitaka
