Shocked!

Rating: 7/10 (14 September 2003)

As I'm not a fan of Japanese animation I went it to see the film with some suspicion that I might not enjoy it, but as the story started to unfold I couldn't believe I was ever thinking about not watching this film. It has to be one of the best animated films I've seen for a long time in terms of thoughtfully constructed plot and dazzling effects.
It is also a welcome change from the CGI animation that came with the Toy Storys and more recently Finding Nemo, although the animation isn't as believable as those created by Pixar they are still a work of art. Being the first time I'd seen a Hayao Miyazaki film I didn't know what to expect and now intend on watching a few of his older films like Princess Mononoke.

Although partly produced by Walt Disney there is no sign of the usual sentimentality that they enjoy filling with films such as Pocahontas and Treasure Planet. I really do recommend this film to anybody no matter what age you are even if you're not a big fan of Japanese animation. Some smaller touches towards the end of the film which really make it worth while watching, is the interactions between the mouse and bird!
Even though 'Spirited Away' can be just seen as an enjoyable film the underlying messages about love conquering all and the dangers of greed and sloth are examined within.