Let's face it... 2d animation isn't what it used to be. The majority of big-budget animations are presented in 3d format (ever since the original "Toy Story" graced the screen). There is still hope though, since Japanese animation (aka anime) still seems to be more popular than ever. When I first saw the poster for "Princess", and heard about the storyline, I assumed that it would be an anime feature. To my surprise, it turned out that "Princess" is a Danish animated film! That's about the last thing I expected.
Once the film starts, you can clearly see that it isn't anime. It has a very unique style to it, and even incorporates a few live action sequences. Here's the story: a former priest finds out that his sister (a porn star with the alias Princess) was accidentally murdered. After a few years pass, he returns to his sisters brothel to take custody of his niece. After learning more about Princess's death and becoming closer to his niece, he sets out to take vengeance on the men responsible for her death.
This film is very heavy handed. There aren't any over-the-top action sequences, or goofy cartoon characters. This is an animation based in reality, and contains some very graphic sequences. While this will certainly turn people off... it did the opposite for me. I love intense films... and that's exactly what "Princess" is. The atmosphere is very bleak and unsettling, and becomes even more so as it progress's. It also has a very powerful and unsettling finale, which is rare for an animation.
All in all, I enjoyed this film because it was extremely engaging and suspenseful. It had all the aspects of a serious drama... and, in my opinion, would have made an excellent live action film as well. Who knows, maybe it will be adapted one day (since that seems to be very popular in Hollywood today).
My Rating: 8 out of 10
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