Mononoke, le film: Un fantôme sous la pluie

Since these other reviews seem to be written by AI or people who can't actually give a critical review I figured I'd chime in to write something useful.

I binged the original 2007 show on a whim a few years ago and since then it's been my absolute favorite anime. The show was stunning, strange and captivating.

But this movie seems to have lost most of what the series did back then. I suppose it'd be pretty difficult to replicate the show so many years later, which makes me wonder why they made the attempt.

It does not succeed in doing what the show did. The use of 3D stands out and looks bad. Instead of the exorcism of the mononoke being a out finding out the truth of the being and what put it there (a battle of wits and intruige) it instead becomes a literal battle which I felt that the show was never about. The Medicine Seller becomes someone who bounces around and does big action like it's a shounen anime.

What in the show was a visual spectacle has in the movie become visual frenzy, unpleasant and dissorienting to watch. You're given little to no time to take a scene in as angles change quickly or scenes change entirely in just a few seconds. Things aren't allowed to take time, to sink in and make you think. I struggle with where the characters are, why they are, who they are and so on.

This feels typical of what modern studios believe an anime movie "has to be". Action, movement, overly complicated and elaborate when it doesn't need to be. Perhaps studio meddling has been extensive on this production rather than the will and wishes of the director.

It's clear that a lot has been lost since 2007 and that modern influences has impacted this production too much to be as enjoyable as the show was.

I must also complain that the subtitles did not always accurately represent what was being said and at times even added to what was said in a way that actually changed the intent of some characters and the mood of a scene. That stuff annoys the heck out of me and is among the worst kind of "localization". It's probably because the subtitles align better with the English dub that way, which is pretty much why I really don't like watching English dubs of anything.

Really don't understand the high reviews on this. Scenes and angles changes every 2 seconds. Gives you no time to admire any good art if any. Watching this will give you eyes seizure. Can't tell if it is night or day or where or what. Just super colorful and confusing. Will leave you feeling frustrated. Sometimes less is actually more.

The anime film Mononoke is a masterpiece of animation, which causes a very good suspense and intrigue effect with its unusual animation, which simulates a living painting that tells a beautiful and confusing story, I guarantee that this story deserves a chance for everyone who will watch it, this film is by far bad, and presents itself as a good suspense film that even revealing and giving away a lot, still manages to keep a very restless mystery in the air, causing very genuine joy, even though the animation is sometimes nauseating, it is still very good and greatly attracts the viewer's vision, and becomes, at times, an excellent relief for the eyes.

The visuals are mind-bending and overwhelming in a positive way but the story is deeply intriguing as well, exploring the themes of self preservation and awareness, and the identity of women. My mouth was hanging open for a good ten minutes during the climax of the movie. Superb animation that looks way ahead of its time, like a celebration Japanese art from the year 2080. Worth a second watch to really uncover all the rich visual details including the stylistic references and homage to ukiyo-e paintings, as well as the hidden meanings behind the storyline. It felt like taking a magic carpet ride through a Japanese painting.

This was my introduction to this series. It works as a stand alone piece since quite a bit of the mysticism of the show isn't really explained, but left to be inferred, as well as because this film lacks connecting characters, sort of. The "medicine seller" is one of several, so the character in the film is, in some ways, a bit softer than the one in the animated series.

That being said, the way in which the story is told, and some of the more esoteric and symbolic elements were completely lost on me. I came in with an open mind, and began to pick things up throughout, but I probably would have benefitted from having something to compare it to.

It's an absolutely gorgeous piece draped in the guise of a Japanese play but I feel like the important minutia visible in every still would have given David Lynch pause. For sure something you'll need to watch two or three times at least.