Princess Mononoke Roger Ebert | No Ads |
"Princess Mononoke is a great and serious film, a worthy epic. It has a complex and fascinating story, with characters who are multidimensional and interesting. The animation is breathtaking, and the themes of environmentalism and humanity's relationship with nature are both timely and timeless." - Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert's championing of Princess Mononoke (1997) was a pivotal moment for Japanese animation in the West. Awarding the film a perfect , Ebert described it as "one of the most visually inventive films" he had ever seen, urging audiences not to let conventional ideas about "cartoons" keep them from this adult-oriented masterpiece. A Vision Beyond Live Action princess mononoke roger ebert
– He admired that there are no clear villains. Lady Eboshi, who destroys the forest, is shown as kind to lepers and outcasts. The wolf god and boar spirits are sympathetic but dangerous. Ashitaka, the hero, curses both sides’ hatred. "Princess Mononoke is a great and serious film,
Ebert noted that the film's story, set in medieval Japan, is "a complex and fascinating tale of humanity's struggle with nature." He highlighted the film's exploration of the conflict between the supernatural creatures of the forest, led by the wolf-goddess Moro, and the humans of Iron Town, who are determined to exploit the forest's resources. Awarding the film a perfect , Ebert described
: He noted that the film avoids simplistic "good vs. evil" tropes, instead focusing on the struggle for a new emerging order between humans, forest animals, and nature gods.
Ebert's review highlighted the film's themes of environmentalism, humanity's relationship with nature, and the struggle between tradition and progress. He noted that the film's message is "both timely and timeless," and that it "speaks to our own struggles to live in harmony with the natural world."
In his review of Hayao Miyazaki's epic animated film, Princess Mononoke, renowned film critic Roger Ebert praised the movie's ambitious scope, stunning animation, and thought-provoking themes. Ebert awarded the film 4 out of 4 stars, calling it "a great and serious film, a worthy epic."