Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke is a milestone in Japanese animation film and an enormous box-office hit that also leaves Disney and DreamWorks way behind in artistic achievement. The film is less polished in style and much more complex, grand and mythical in substance than the most ambitious Disney productions. The story is set in ancient Japan, where a battle is being fought between man and nature. The young soldier Achitaka finds himself in Irontown, which is at war with the forest spirits: the locals want to destroy the forest for their own selfish reasons. Achitaka finds himself facing San, aka Prinses Mononoke, the daughter of the Wolf god. San hates everyone who enters the realm of the forest to steal treasures and is determined to defend the holy ground to the very end. Time will tell which is stronger: the battle of man to rule over the land or the love between warrior and princess. Princess Mononoke is a fantastic adventure, an epic fable populated by people, gods, spirits and monsters. Nature is portrayed beautifully in great detail, with flowers and plants coming alive under the feet of the forest spirits. In the stunning and unparalleled drawing style of Miyazaki, the human creatures can express every possible emotion. A style that shall set a standard for many generations of animation film-makers. (P.R.)