Princess Mononoke is a stunning animation and a modern masterpiece.

Rating: 8/10 (3 May 2008)

I would never believe any animation would surpass the magic of one of Walt Disney's earlier works. Animations that involved years of hard labour and revolutionised family entertainment. In all honesty, Princess Mononoke could hardly hold a candle to something such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, the lone fact that it even comes within a mile of that is justification for that failing.
For Princess Mononoke is truly a masterpiece, a masterpiece of story, subtlety, and movement that is only superseded by few other films from the studio. It has a dilemma in a way, for it is not very suitable for children, whilst adults will probably be put off by the slightly surreal tale. However, stereotypes such as that can't explain why it was so popular in the first place. The story that depicts the struggle between humankind and nature masks what is really a love story of prince Ashitaka and the Mononoke-Hime of the wolf tribe. The alternation between these two arcs is superbly pitched, and adds depth to the otherwise fairly simple tale.
Of course, despite how well paced and emotional the story is it's the animation people would be most interested in. In a generation where animated characters are typified by stiff, unconvincing movement, princess Mononoke is ultimately refreshing. Due in part to director Miyazaki's insistence on hand-drawn animation, and the obvious work that's been put into bringing every scene to life. It superbly captures the atmosphere of it's several locations, populating screens with noise and movement. The excellent use of animation and sound gives objects weight and realistic movements. The characters are expressive and filled with life. It truly is a sight to behold.
In terms of English voice talent, Princess Mononoke is typically short of it. Whilst the majority of the actors' performances are adequate. The worst of all is probably Ashitaka (Billy Caldup's) half-hearted performance. The Japanese voicing is a lot better, and yet the subtitles aren't well translated enough. One thing to try is to watch the movie in Japanese without subtitles, and thus see how much you can discern simply from watching the films alone. Princess Mononoke is a stunning animation in it's own right, and simply one of the best movies I'd ever watched. I'd recommend it, but be wary that it isn't the kind of film to sink well with everyone.
8/10 Exceptional