Significantly over rated.

I just finished watching and I think it's vastly over rated.
Maybe the intention of the director / writers was to frustrate me - because that's what the movie did. I realise having simple movies with clear antagonists and protagonists is a bit basic but this film just had me almost hating every character in the film. The only character I like was the princess and the deer god. Even the Wolf god was a bitter *beep* (understandable but bitter none the less)

I get the message that the forest and the people need to work together to have equilibrium (at least I believe that's the message) but how it's told wasn't to my liking. I guess I like my Miyazaki films to be a lot more sweet at the end or have at least some good touching moments throughout the film.
Often the childish, yet touching moments in his films bring a tear to my eye - this film didn't do that even once. I was expecting this to be some kind of epic tear jerker with some completely touching and bittersweet moments but ultimately almost every character death didn't do much for me.

I didn't dislike the film and I suspect a second viewing may help me enjoy more of it but I would give this film a 6.5 out of 10 at best to be honest.
Spirited away, a vastly more strange, less complex (emotionally) and simple film is far superior to me. It's a weird yet fantastic spectacle with some genuinely touching moments. Also Nausicaa - a Miyazaki film with some more serious and darker tones is far far better than Mononoke.

Perhaps hearing for 10 years what a great film it is has over hyped it for me or perhaps this evening I'm not in the mood for a film with no clear bad guy and distinct winner but this movie is not what I was expecting. Fantastic animation indeed, as usual but in this persons opinion definitely no where near the top of Miyazakis film list.