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Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD), Minnie Driver (GOOD WILL HUNTING), and Billy Bob Thornton (ARMAGEDDON, SLING BLADE) head a cast of hot Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated, overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup -- WITHOUT LIMITS) sets out for the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi (Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest's animal gods, who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves! Also starring Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Jada Pinkett Smith (SCREAM 2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture!
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Before it ever arrived in the U.S., this epic, animated 1997 fantasy had already made history as the top-grossing domestic feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes, mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and anime fans, Princess Mononoke represents an auspicious next step for its revered creator, Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service), an acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here.
Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.
Miyazaki's convoluted fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor is the often graphic violence depicted during the battles that ensue. If some younger viewers (or less attentive older ones) will wish for a diagram to sort out the players, Miyazaki's atmospheric world and its lush visual design are reasons enough to watch. For the English-language version, Miramax assembled an impressive vocal cast including Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. They bring added nuance to a very different kind of magic kingdom. Recommended for ages 12 and older. --Sam Sutherland
Princess Mononoke Reviews
Princess Mononoke Reviews
| 242 of 259 people found the following review helpful:  An outstanding gem -- both the movie and DVD., By Andrew L. Hsu (New York City, NY USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Princess Mononoke (DVD) Wow. I first saw Princess Mononoke during its limited theatrical release (twice). Many people have issues with the dub, but this is by far the best dubbed anime ever to be released -- I, like most anime fans, normally insist on subtitles, but Neil Gaiman and the cast succeeded in putting real emotion into these characters. The casting of Billy Bob Thornton and Claire Danes might rub some ears the wrong way, but in my opinion the emotional impact is still there regardless of the odd accents. In any case, the Japanese track is included, and it's phenomenal. As for its content, most arguments about its violence and length can be dismissed by viewing it as a film, rather than as a cartoon. It's not Disney. The plot is a complex and delicate exercise in shades of gray. Don't expect Akira or Macross either -- it's really not of the same genre.The video and audio quality is the sort that you would use to show off your new home theater system. In fact, I found the Japanese... Read more 113 of 125 people found the following review helpful: A slice of beautiful complexity, By Miguel B. Llora (Bay Point, California USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Princess Mononoke (DVD) It is difficult to be profound about a movie that has been written about so much. Much of which has been written is rather obvious. Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, although it is an adult oriented film in terms of complexity, it has something for everyone. Princess Mononoke is appealing on many levels because much like other anime features like Armitage III, Ghost in the Shell, and Akira, Princess Mononoke also confronts the issue of technology head on. However, what is unique here is that Miyazaki problematizes the duality of man vs. nature really expanding the problem to man within nature and calling for a sense of co-operation. Again, While other movies like Armitage III, Ghost in the Shell, and Akira are a shade darker than most, Mononoke is laced with hope and reconstruction. Based on our epistemological framework we are looking for good vs. evil. We are always trying to set things up in a space of binary oppositions. Most viewers are looking to make things... Read more 80 of 89 people found the following review helpful: Beautiful animation, you can't go wrong with this one., By A Customer Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Princess Mononoke (DVD) This Miyazaki movie is for keeps! This is one of the few anime films from the many I have seen, that I will give a full 5 stars. You must give yourself a chance to see this movie at least once. I will definitely buy this DVD when it comes out. Plot is set in ancient mythological Japan where humans clash with humans and damages the environment. Great story, beautiful animation, very strong character development. Lots of action. You will see that a lot of work went into this film. Too bad, I can't recommend this for kids for all ages, maybe around 15 yrs up, but you parents will be the final judge. No nudity, but there are quite a few blood and violent scenes (such as beheading). Don't get me wrong, the story does not really focus on the violence. Watch it and you will know what I mean.I sure hope the other Miyazaki Anime will be released on DVD soon! (Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaa, etc...) |
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