Starts off great but loses its way

Rating: 4/10 (14 January 2011)

I'm not a huge fan of anime, so I'm not the best person to review this film. Nonetheless I found myself watching it to find out what all the fuss was about.
Initially, I found the film gripping. The old-fashioned animation felt fresh and I loved watching the colourful panoramas play out on screen. The early scenes involving the terrible forest monster chasing the film's hero were vivid and exciting; then Princess Mononoke is introduced.
Gradually, I lost interest in the film. I found the story far too slim to support the lengthy running time. Myriad characters are introduced and underdeveloped, and the emphasis seems to be on repetitive action involving the different factions battling each other. Certain sequences are certainly captivating on the animation front - especially the huge, translucent forest god creature - but the story just didn't keep my attention.