Metropolis

Rating:
Summary: When is intelligence artificial
Review: Yes, many of the themes have been done before, and I do not think that the feature's creators would deny that, if asked. What you have to remember, is that this is anime', and it is not designed to run in the same manner as a feature that has real actors. There is a certain atmosphere and mentality that runs when you are in the mood to see a good anime. This one runs with the best of them. I think the best anime's do show some character development, but they also explore real themes within the cartoon's elastic shell.

Metropolis asks us to decide when A.I. is as legitimate as human I.

This is something we will have to ask ourselves in the next 50 yrs when AI becomes a reality, and I do not think society is prepared for it at this time. Also, when looking at the soulless corporate monolith that has reduced humanity to a cog, the anime' here asks the question-has AI become human, or has human become a mere machine to be abused by the power class. Perhaps both!

Mind blowing effects, a real treat for anime' fans.

Rating:
Summary: Another Great Movie
Review: The movie is marvelous and the music is wonderful. One of the best sci-fi movies I ever seen.

Rating:
Summary: Profundity in Ragtime and Art Deco
Review: Much has already been written about the contribution of Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame. The influence is obvious. However, the unique quality that Hayashi Shigeyuki brings into the equation is the fusion of Ridley Scott's Bladerunner, Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Osamu Tezuka's manga, and of course Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira. The fusion of all these almost seemingly unrelated sources is nothing short of a classic in the making -- and it should be considered as one. I'll tell you why...

The first thing anyone with guts enough to pen a serious review needs to do is to admit his/her bias. I was drawn into this genre by Ghost in the Shell so understandably, almost everything I watch is measured against this standard. In terms of plot and character development, few anime come close to Ghost in the Shell -- but that is my bias. In terms of being visually stunning and a sense of geniune displacement (an effect that most of these post-apocalypse anime features have on me) Metropolis is second to none. No doubt, the visuals are stunning. Akira may have had the grit, Ghost in the Shell or Princess Monoke may have had the character and plot development -- but none could have come close in terms of impact with that move of playing "I can't stop loving you" juxtaposed along the destruction of the Ziggurat like structure that looms large on almost every scene in the movie. I'm taking a different approach here -- Metropolis has the same impact on me -- not so much as Blade Runner had but more akin to Ayn Rand's modernist epic The Fountainhead (1949) and Rock reminds me more of Howard Roarke than he would a Deckard or even a Tesuo. I'm not looking for hidden symbology -- more like an experiential thing...

The art deco theme is nothing short of spectacular. It was the look the drew me in. Hard to compare other anime features as each on has its own "thing" to contribute -- each one is unique. Metropolis has a truelly different aethetic feel to it. However, much like all the other films that preceded it, including films by Hayao Miyazaki -- Metropolis calls to question the rise of technology and the eventual inclusion of robotics into our everyday milieu. Just like Bladerunner -- the tendency is to see technology as a double edged sword -- with a real potential to go rogue.

No less disturbing is the almost subtle allusion to a real sense of separation between corporate giants and the little person. Along that same problematic is a solution steeped in toppling the bigwigs through a revolt or uprising and an almost fatalistic turn towards some form of terrorism. Is this really our fate? Do we really need to resort to violence to gain some form of agency? I would like to think these movies are cathartic in nature and give us something positive to think about. They all do give us something to think about. Besides, what could be better than escaping into a stylistic world of art deco and ragtime. As fragmented as these stories are, they always seem to come to some sort meaning -- as many meanings as there are viewers.

Miguel Llora

Rating:
Summary: A new anime achivement!
Review: In the near future, at a huge city called " Metropolis" humans work with robots. But then a mad dictator decides to have the robots have war on us, a Japanese detective and his nephew come to the city on a adventure to save humanity.

A unique, visual and spectacular anime movie despite it's confusing plot, the visuals are great, the animation is brilliant and the music score is great. It's a work of art from Osaku Tezuko ( Creator of " Astro Boy"), Rintaro ( Director of " Galaxy Express 999"), and Katsuhiro Otomo ( creator of "Akira") have crafted an entertaining and gripping animated experience beyond your imagination.

Also recommended: Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Fist of the North Star, Blade Runner, Dark City, The Fifth Element, The Matrix Trilogy, Aeon Flux, Heavy Metal, Rock & Rule, Wizards, Robot Carnival, Vampire Hunter D, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Ninja Scroll, The Professional: Golgo 13, Utena: The Movie, Total Recall, Batman, The Crow, Wicked City, Sailor Moon R: The Movie, Dragonball Z: The World's Strongest, Tenchi Muyo in Love, Armitage III, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Spriggan.

Rating:
Summary: Metropolis: Sucks you in & never lets go till the very end
Review: I reccently watched this movie on tv&I was blown away.When you see the charaters on paper,they dont seem to have much depth character wise,but when you sit down & watch it,your whole opinion changes.The graphics are stunning&the characters have alot more depth than you think.The beginning reminds you of a futuristic turn on the old 1940s detective movies,but towards the end,it sorta reminded ME(this probley won't apply and/or make sense to anyone else) of the beginning of the 1st episode of Silent Mobius.All and all,the movie is great & worth your time.My only problem is that they didnt provide alot of backstory on the characters or Metropolis.

Rating:
Summary: A blending film of beauty and power
Review: "Metropolis" is a beautiful example of what Japanese animation can do when they are freed from the need to advertise toy products (Yes, the ever-present "pokemon" and the new "Yu-Gi-Oh brother." Its images both astound and fills the viewer with wonders of a city of tomorrow as depicted in the early and middle portions of the 20th century--after all, it was partially inspired by Fritz Lang's classic "Metropolis" from 1927.
This is especially true of the scenes with the Ziggurat which hauntingly reminds a viewer of the Master's building in the earlier silent film. The film also blends elements of another film--"Blade Runner"--showing a society going paranoid witht he fear of robots while still needing them to do the work that no human would want or could do.
The only problem with the film is its use of comic strip like characters--which reminds one of the characters from "Astro Boy"--but this is soon ended as the film begins to grab the viewer. One of the big plusses is a jazz/dixieland score which, while not really appropriate does leave the viewer humming the haunting "Never Say Goodbye". This is a film very much worth viewing once and possibly owning.

Rating:
Summary: Underrated by most
Review: This is one of my favorite anime movies.

Plot structure : very well done. not perfect, though. I would have liked a bit more background on the Ziggurat and Metropolis, and perhaps on Duke Red. Without it, Metropolis lacks the connection with the outside world that it could have to make the movie more realistically understandable. The progression of the plot is decent. Nothing truly superb is set up to happen, but the way the story is set up, it leaves room for many unexpected plot twists.

Character development: The characters are a bit too bland for my taste, because they're not involved enough in the essence of the plot itself. It's fun to watch Ken-ichi and tima interact, but Ken-ichi doesn't have the "get up and go" to be a good hero. I liked the robot as a character, it seemed very effective to the plot and the outcome of it. Rock was a fairly well developed character. Duke Red wasn't at all a deep character, he was just concerned with power and Tima. The minor characters, like the revolution guy; he was perhaps my favorite character, because he added color to the progress of the story, although he ultimately had very little effect on the outcome of it.

Overall: This movie was very well done in many aspects, but inconsistent in others. The setting, and physical/graphical design of Metropolis had a much more powerful effect than the characters. The one thing that this movie does NOT have is the incredibly trite anime role of "reluctant chosen hero" for any of the main characters. Unfortunately, though, the reluctant hero role provides for a much better potential of character development, which this movie lacks. Most of the characters are not very developed, interesting, memorable, or involved. Still, the setting in which these characters interact is a creative masterpiece of sorts, redeeming the fundamental value of the movie and plot.

Rating:
Summary: Metropolis - the symbolism and misconceptions
Review: I'm not an anime veteran but I do enjoy watching a good anime movie, and I believe Metropolis is one. The character "astro boy" like designs are not my favorite but were perhaps best suited for the innocent characters.

Once of the most annoying misconceptions I've heard about this movie is the whole "I can't stop loving you" thing. It's a good song, Ray Charles rocks, and there is symbolism here:
1. Tima and Kenichi are in love, and are tragically being torn apart.
2. Roc, the faithful son of Duke Red, destroyed all he and his 'father' owned so he and his father would be together in the afterlife (as if anyone hasn't noticed it already!)

I also thought Toshiyuki Honda, composer of the film's soundtrack was brilliant in that he revived an old well-loved genre of music: RAGTIME JAZZ.
Many people do not like this music genre and if you don't, too bad. You shouldn't have watched the movie.

There is lots of symbolism in the film, if you have the eyes to see it.

Although you may need a dry erase board and a few charts to remember and keep up with the plot, over all, it is a good story of Good vs. evil, or should I say, man vs. bot!

To wrap things up, I must say it is an excellent film is you are a TRUE anime fan. NOTE: this is a huge change from americanized anime like DBZ or gundam (not to say there is anything wrong with them), so be open minded and prepare for a change in pace and style.

God bless and happy trails, fellow anime fans!

Rating:
Summary: Metropolis Rocks!!!!!
Review: The art Rocks! The story Rocks! ROCK Rocks!!!! When I first saw an ad for it in the paper, I thught it looked really dumb, but now it's my second favorite movie! Rock is AWESOME!!! And, he's the only villain ever with good aim.

Rating:
Summary: Metropolis
Review: I thought this movie was awesome. It was beautiful to watch and had a cool plot. The DVD has lots have extras that will keep you coming back for more.