Maybe I just don't "get" Mononoke.

Rating: 4/10 (10 February 2013)

I would never say that I hate anime, but I am usually bored and confused by it. So much anime acts thoughtful and deep, but ends up being fairly shallow and simple (see: Neon Genesis and Death Note). Miyazaki has always been a person I could turn to for anime that is both fun AND thought-provoking. Please understand that I am as surprised as you are when I say that I really didn't like this movie.
Now, I don't hate Mononoke. I enjoyed the spectacle, and I recognize that it is very well-made. The story is competently told and the setting is interesting.
My problem is with the characters. No one in Mononoke acts like a human being. The prince is a perfect angel who isn't affected by human emotions like fear and greed. He is utterly flawless and boring. I mean sure, he's been cursed, but it doesn't really seem to do much to him. In fact, it only appears to make him stronger. What's he complaining about?
The women of Irontown are the most hateful people I could possibly imagine. After the attack, one of them joked, "If you hadn't been there, we'd all have to find ourselves new husbands." That's really funny, except to all of the women whose husbands are actually DEAD. What sort of callous, spiteful monster would say something like that? And worse, who would laugh at such an inappropriate joke? That same lady's husband was pushed off a cliff, almost died, and struggled for days to return home to his wife. When he finally makes it back home, what does she do? He calls him a dumbass and berates him in front of everyone. "I wish the wolves had eaten you! Then maybe I could've found a real husband." What a heartless bitch! There is no sense of love or camaraderie from anyone. I don't believe that these two have ever actually loved each other.
I could understand this if the animals were portrayed sympathetically. They are not. All of the animals are rather dickish about eating and destroying everything in their path. The people of Irontown are only trying to defend themselves and they are made out to be the villains. Sure, they're destroying the forest, but it doesn't appear like the rest of the world is all that bad; just this place.
In fact, the only person in the movie who I actually liked was Lady Obashi, the evil gun-toting power-hungry psychopath. Sure, she wanted to rule the world, but she felt like a human being. She was kind to the lepers, took pity on the whores and gave them all new and rewarding jobs. She loved her people and wanted to protect them. But she's supposed to be the villain? I don't buy it.
And what about the pig? I understand that the first pig turned into a demon because he was filled with rage, but what about the old pig? The last thing he felt was hope that all of his warriors were still alive. Why did he become a demon when he wasn't full of hate? For that matter, all of the other animals WERE full of hate. All of the wolves, the monkeys, and most of the pigs were hateful, vengeful bastards. Why didn't they turn into demons? It doesn't make any sense.
Perhaps the depth of this movie has been lost on me. Perhaps Miyazaki is trying to say that war can make a monster out of anyone, no matter how noble his cause. I suppose that would make for an interesting film, but I don't feel like that's what Miyazaki was trying to say. As it currently stands, I think that this is Miyazaki's weakest film.