Possibly Miyazaki's best film

Rating: 8/10 (1 October 2008)

"Princess Mononoke" tells the story of a young man's journey to seek a cure for a curse that will eventually transform him into a demon. When he finds what he's been looking for he also finds himself in the middle of a struggle between the forces of nature and industrialization.
The story is highly interesting and artfully told in a mature manner. The mythology makes for a highly imaginative story that is nevertheless eminently accessible. I have no idea what kids would make of it but, as an adult, I found it much more satisfying than the usual animated fare from America.
I originally watched the movie with the English dubbing done by Disney/Miramax. At the time, my only complaint was that Billy Bob Thornton was badly miscast. Now, having watched the film with the original Japanese dialogue, I can't see myself wanting to go back to the English version. I watched a few clips afterward and the English dialogue just seemed forced and, at the same time, too Americanized.
Visually, the film is splendid. The scenery is often quite beautiful and the action is generally well animated. Musically, the film is decent but not especially remarkable.
In the end, when you consider the whole package (animation, voice acting, storyline, etc...) I think that "Princess Mononoke" makes a strong case for being Miyazaki's best film, though I admit that I haven't seen all of them (yet). This is definitely a must-see and not just for fans of animation.