REVIEW: ‘Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage’ Is Visually Stunning

Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage (Mononoke Movie 2: Hinezumi), produced by EOTA, returns to the Ōoku as a mysterious string of deaths brings danger to the crucial establishment. Once again, it’s up to the Medicine Seller (Hiroshi Kamiya, The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting) to unravel the truth of this mononoke before it consumes all in flames.

Intricate machinations concerning courtly intrigue and political maneuvering can be endlessly compelling or instantly unengaging, and rarely fall somewhere in between. The opening stretch of Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage falls into the latter category, as it drops its plot into the middle of such maneuvering, while failing to provide much context or understanding for what plays out. 

This rough opening does the core of the movie a huge disservice. Once the political talk subsides and the narrative shifts, things begin to settle down. The opening elements remain important, but it’s a shame that a more elegant way of presenting the information couldn’t be found. 

Context is key, and yet Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage lacks it in its start.

The plot that develops centers on a concubine named Fuki Tokita (Yôko Hikasa, Arknights: Rise From Embers). It is a story that builds itself up, growing into a tale with a scope that fits with the incredible setting in which it takes place. Both the past and present of the Ōoku merge into one, as Fuki struggles against the political realities that align against her. 

While the political tale eventually comes together, it is the ghost story elements of Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage that never falter. The extreme artistic style that brings the world to life is implemented beautifully here to create terror and fear. Though the film never leans into its more terrifying moments enough to be labeled as horror, it does succeed in making the fiery deaths ones that resonate within the plot. 

Great camera work and strong voice acting meld together throughout the film to create the drama and tension the narrative relies on. Nowhere is this more true than within the murder sequences. As characters panic and flee helplessly for their lives, both sound and visuals join to deliver these moments with perfect precision. 

Even as the vast majority of the engagement of this film comes from the supernatural side, the more human conflicts come with a couple of surprises of their own. Some great twists allow key characters to turn out not to be who you initially expect. These twists are implemented well, as they are unexpected, but still feel right for the characters who deliver them. 

Tapping into the supernatural gives the film some of its edge.

Surrounding all the plotting, murder, and characters is the omnipresent star of the film: the Ōoku itself. With such vastness and intense coloring creating an often breathtaking setting, the location frequently dominates the story visually. Huge chambers are shown off by dramatic camera work, sometimes impressing, other times overwhelming. The sheer amount of movement and color can go from awe-inspiring to outright garish at times, undercutting the desired effect of the structure’s grand design. 

Drawing on all of Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage‘s best elements is the finale. Once all the pieces are in place and the confrontation begins, the surreal world that threatens to consume the key characters delivers scope, drama, and fantastic visual impact. The music doubles down in the final sequence to a degree not witnessed in the rest of the film. This further causes the finale to stand out as being the best of everything else in the film, and then some.

Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage starts rough, but makes up for it by the end. Despite some of its visuals becoming overpowering in certain moments, the plot and world largely come together to deliver a memorable tale of haunting murder and political intrigue. 

Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage is streaming now on Netflix.

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