Shika no ou
2021 [JAPANESE]
Action / Adventure / Animation / Family / Fantasy
80%
AUDIENCE
6.4/10
1.4K
Plot summary
Following a brutal war, former soldier Van toils in a mine controlled by the ruling empire. One day, his solitary existence is upended when a pack of wild dogs carrying a deadly and incurable disease attack, leaving only Van and a young girl named Yuna as survivors. Finally free, the pair seek out a simple existence in the countryside but are pursued by nefarious forces. Intent on protecting Yuna at all costs, Van must uncover the true cause of the plague ravaging the kingdom—and its possible cure.
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
_The Deer King_ is as visually gorgeous as
Visually striking film with an unfinished script
The Deer King sets a high bar in many areas, but falls short of sufficient in others. Visually, this film gets near perfect marks with a vibrant animation style that matches perfectly with themes regarding the spiritual connection to nature and the interconnectedness of all things.
While these factors create a strong premise for the film, the story itself feels unfinished - an extra 30-50 minutes of runtime would be needed to tie all the loose ends together. So much exposition is needed that it seems like this story was supposed to be the second film in a trilogy. This leaves the audience feeling like a bystander in their world rather than directly in the center of the action.
This isn't quite Princess Mononoke, but for fans of stunning animation and themes of harmony with nature, this film is worth seeing.