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Cast
Ashitaka (Billy Crudup)
San (Princess Mononoke) (Claire Danes)
Lady Eboshi (Minnie Driver)
Moro (Gillian Anderson)
Toki (Jada Pinkett Smith)
Jigo Boh (Billy Bob Thornton)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki Written by Neil Gaiman
Rated PG-13 for violent images and gore
Running Time: 135 minutes Distributed by Miramax
Princess
Mononoke is a unique and well-written Japanese animation film.
Mature in theme and mystical in style, Princess Mononoke is
set in ancient Japan, a time of Samurai warriors and isolated
villages. A war rages in the land. The Taltara clan, forgers
of iron, are ravaging the forests. The Great God of the forest
gives power to the forest gods to protect their domain against
the humans in forms of huge beasts. The story centers around
the character of Ashitaka (Crudup), who is the last young
warrior of a dying clan. Ashitaka's journey leads him into
the middle of the battle between man and nature. Ashitaka
believes in peace and wants the Tatara clan and the forest
to be able to live together.
Princess
Mononoke is an interesting film to watch. Even though the
film slow and dragging, the overall experience is pretty amusing.
Director Hayao Miyazaki really opens audiences to a story
of will and hope. The film's animation has quick and drastic
action sequences and beautiful visionary aspects that are
bright and colorful.
Princess
Mononoke took Japanese filmgoers by storm in the summer of
1997. Just weeks after its release, the animated story of
a battle for the future of nature surpassed the previous box
office holder, E. T. Princess Mononoke went on to gross more
than $150 million dollars in a country with one-half the U.
S. population and less than 1/10 the number of screens. The
film also won Best Picture at the 1998 Japanese Academy Awards.
I
liked the story surrounding this film about man vs. nature.
However, the film did get awfully slow at times. Princess
Mononoke is an animated feature that is not for young children.
It is very bloody and violent due to its battle content. The
film is rated PG-13, but maybe should have been considered
being rated R. However, most adult audiences will probably
like the visual storytelling in Princess Mononoke.
Report
Card Grade: B-
Beastman's
Movie Reviews
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