Problematic Epic

Rating: 7/10 (22 July 2008)

Of all films directed by Hayao Miyazaki, there is no doubt Princess Mononoke is the highest regarded by his fans. Taking place in medieval Japan, it is the story of a cursed and exiled young prince involving himself in a war between man and the spirits of nature. The iron-producing town led by the strong Lady Eboshi is pitted against a mysterious young woman running with the wolves. Other cynical players enter the conflict for their own gain.
The virtues of this movie are many: A largely credible set of ambiguous characters, a grand plot wrapped in a dramatic and moving story, a stunning soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi, an ecological message, as well as Miyazaki's famous attention to detail, which contributes to main as well as back story.
The movie has a serious problem, however, which prevents this reviewer from ranking it among their top Studio Ghibli. The protagonist, in sharp contrast to the rest of this movie's ambiguous world, is completely faultless. Prince Ashitaka has got to be one of the most boring characters ever encountered in storytelling. Despite all his trials, he is never more angry than required, always courageous, kind, and ready to help. This deprives the story vastly of its sophistication.
It is, nevertheless, possible to interpret this as another virtue. By seeing San and Lady Eboshi as the real protagonists, you can say Ashitaka is really a metaphor for new and progressive thought, the emergence of which makes it possible to mitigate deep conflicts. But whether or not Miyazaki intended it this way, it is hard to say whether such an interpretation is shared by the fanbase. Also, the movie strongly pushes Ashitaka as the protagonist, not encouraging the alternative interpretation.
Also, keep some distance from the English dub. There are two reasons. First, Neil Gaiman, writer of the dub script, obviously saw Miyazaki's own sense of humour as insufficient, and decided to add some dialogue jokes on his own where the animation allows it - rather poor jokes. Second, Claire Danes' rendition of San is a painful experience. She makes the brave warrior princess sound like a whiny teenage girl, so much like those familiar to readers of Robert Jordan. Billy Crudup is not really helping either - his temperless voice adds to Ashitaka's infuriating lack of character.
In short: Whether this is a good or a great movie really depends on your interpretation. And try to get a subtitled version.