Metropolis

Rating:
Summary: Opulent, Emotional, Driven by Duality...
Review: I wasn't quite sure what to expect when going to see this movie. I had never seen the 1949 manga. Judging from past experiences with "God of Manga" Tezuka's work was unpredictable too. He's done things I absolutely adore, like BlackJack, things I like, such as Astroboy, and things I don't care much for, like Adolf.

A friend who's not much of an Anime fan agreed to go with me, and this worried me too. "If he hates this, I'll never be able to persuade him to see another anime film again." And just how do you modernize a 1949 manga for a modern, technically savvy audience?

Well, you start by bringing in anime and manga heavyweights such as Katsuhiro Otomo and Rintaro. Then you add opulent character and scenery design, lush animation and a healthy dose of cutting edge CGI. Finish it off with a far ranging and highly eclectic soundtrack and you've got Metropolis.

This film is driven by duality. It has a retro-modern style, blending elements of art deco with futuristic technology. The human characters are highly emotional, a feat not always accomplished in animation, matched by the robots who are (for the most part) cold and emotionless. The quest for freedom is matched by the tyranny and oppression of the Marduk's reign. These are all powerful elements that work well within the framework of the story.

What didn't work? I felt that sometimes the visuals overpowered the storyline. It was easy to lose the plot at times. I'm not always a fan of CGI, but for the most part it blended well with the traditional animation. One time it didn't was when Kenichi and his Uncle were in the Police headquarters and the Giant deep sea fish was swimming by outside the window--that's a moment where the to styles clashed. The soundtrack had some jarring choices--the Ray Charles song made my friend and I look at each other with giant question marks over our heads, but it was actually quite a powerful statement.

I guess I shouldn't have doubted the Tezuka/Otomo/Rintaro team. I really enjoyed the film and, if this tells you anything, my friend did too. Try to catch it on the big screen. But fear not--it will be out on DVD before you know it.

Rating:
Summary: A foreigner's introduction to the universe of Osamu Tezuka
Review: I'd like to concentrate on the ouvre of Osamu Tezuka, the writer/illustrator of the original comics version of this film. Back in the 1980s, before anime was widely known in the US, I chanced upon a book from Japan at a comics con. It was entitled "Osamu Tezuka: 40 years of cartoons" and though it was a modest volume (both in size and page count) it was packed with dazziling color illustrations by Osamu Tezuka, the most important pioneer of Japanese comics. The price tag was several times what a comparable domestic volume would have cost, but I couldn't put the book down. This was a purchase I have never regretted. Over the last 15+ years I have marvelled at the beauty of the artwork and the creative vision behind it. I still find the book hypnotic.
Returning to the present; in 2002 I saw the film version of Tezuka's Metropolis, and it beautifully captured so much of the visual splendor which captivated me back in 1986. It is a remarkable snapshot of Tezuka's world, a dazzling future universe, where 50s automobiles co-exist with super science, where robots fight oppression and discrimination, where androids have souls, all executed with brilliant color and stylistically simple presentation, reminiscent of 1930s animated cartoons. It is as captiviating an introduction to the works of Tezuka as 'Blade Runner' was to the universe of Philip K Dick. Hopefully the release of this film, and several other projects in print and film will gain Tezuka the recognition in the US which he so richly deserves.

Rating:
Summary: WOW.
Review: i saw this version of the movie in the theater, and at the end of the movie i was actually saying that out loud. WOW. there's not really any words to describe it, it's simply amazing. i would recommend it to anyone that can stand the subtitles and can read fairly quickly. just because it doesn't get big name people to review it and only came out independently, this is still a definite must-see.

Rating:
Summary: COOL MOVIE
Review: It all started 50 years ago... The shocking message Osamu Tezuka left for the future of the human race. More than ten years before the inception of his popular animated character (Astro Boy), Osamu Tezuka explored the idea of robots co-existing in a "future society."

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining anime with a retro feel...
Review: Tezuka, the creator of "Astro Boy" draws on the writing talents of Katsuhiro Otomo ("Akira") for this animated version of his long-running manga. What's produced is a story about the struggle between humanity and itself, humanity and technology and an inner struggle of the heart.

The story centers around Kenichi a boy who falls in love with Tima, a super-robotic girl. Metropolis takes place in an unknown nation sometime in the future, a harsh place where robots can be slain without a second thought.

The Red Duke reigns over the city and has created a powerful robotic entity who far superseedes the ordinary clunky robots. But what is Tima's purpose? A good, but not great story. The use of CGI to generate the cold and towering city skyline is an interesting contrast to Tezuka's old-school style of drawing the characters -- does this represent the difference between humanity and its grandiose creations?

Rating:
Summary: Spectacular
Review: Enfolding. Strange. Visionary. With its saturated colors and wonderful direction, Rintano and Otomo resurrect the brilliance of anime father Tezuka. There are haunting themes about technology, the power of the state, and the power of militarist fascism. Anyone with a decent knowledge of modern Japanese history will appreciate the subtle cues and resonances: the militarist's seizure of the government, the militarist's marriage with the Zaibatsu (special kind of Japanese business-industry), the jazzy music of the 20s, 30s and 40s, and the idea that the radioactive sun at once perhaps symbolizes the impersonal and uncontrollable power of America's fire bombing raids, the atom bomb, the Emperor Hirohito, as well as the tragic hubris of the Land of the Rising Sun. Some of the apocolyptic plot structures will seem tired to many anime fans, but we should remember that Tezuka pretty much invented the anime destruction-redemption fantasy in post-war Japan. The backgrounds are simply stunning, the music wonderful, and I loved the robot detective. Rock's and Tima's encounter, in which Rock walks around Tima, disorients the viewer, and captures the idea of who is the robot and who is the human? Who is the innocent and who is the monster? A brilliant moment in any genre of film.

Rating:
Summary: Remarkable
Review: Well, for once I will not cut corners around this review, this film must be watched by everyone. It could quite possibly be the most well-done anime of all time.

Now, to start off with the basics, "Metropolis" is a state-of-the-art anime that was based off of the old Osamu Tezuka ("The God of Manga", creator of "Astro Boy," "Kimba," and "Adolf" to name a few) comic from 1949. It's modern update was written by Katsuhiro Otomo ("Robot Carnival," and "Akira") and directed by Rintaro ("X:The Movie," and "Galaxy Express 999"). But you all know that after reading the shallow Amazon review from above.

The film's story has been brought up again and again, so I won't go into it that much. However, I will say this, the story is executed in a form in which I would call "Noir Disney." Don't worry, it's nothing bad, it's just saying that although the film looks like it takes a childish approach to things, it tends to be a bit more on the dark side. Thus, the film seems like a very interesting blend of two different genres. Besides, Otomo takes extreme cautions with the script, knowing that the material it's based on is nearly half a century old.

Characters are something to gleam over as well. Unlike "Akira," "Ghost in the Shell," or "Arcadia of my Youth" the characters have a full understanding of their emoitions. This can be credited not only to the superb animation, but also to the very talented JAPANESE (not English) voice cast. It is very easy to fall in love with all of these characters. From the robot, Pero, to the detective Shunsaku Ban, even to the enigmatic Rock of the Marduk. A rarity even in Disney movies.

The animation is the real star of the show. Blanding extraordinary CGI and traditional Tezuka-style characters, the artwork teems with both powerful and simple energy that radiates from ever cell of animation. Madhouse Studios ("Ninja Scroll," "Trigun," "Cardcaptor Sakura," and several others) spent a LOT of time and effort on these breath-taking visuals. Whats more, they even put in enough effort to make the film seem as if it were alive. For example, in one scene, Shunsaku Ban is reading a book, he flips the page, but the page flips back (as it would in real life) and he turns the page back to where it was. Don't see my point? Well, considering that animation is a technique that requires A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, the fact that they would put something as small as that gives the film a certain clarity not seen today.

Last note, the soundtrack....wow. Everything about the music is so...so...I don't know, vivid, alive, real...I could throw out a lot of adjectives here. Its basically Dixie-Land Jazz played in the background and foreground throughout the entire film. It captures just about everything in the movie. From the city scapes, to the chase scenes, even to the little scenes like people in a bar. What's the shining note is the climax song, Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You," I won't spoil the ending but I will just say this, "Dr. Strangelove" anyone?

In the end, "Metroplis" is a landmark in anime. EVERYONE should buy the DVD when it comes out, or just go to the theaters. Believe me, it is time worth spent. And if your an anime fan, you have more of a reason to go. You can't be a true otaku simply by watching "Fushigi Yugi" and "Utena" all day long. Do yourself a favor and watch this. There, I said my piece.

-RW

Rating:
Summary: Anime Ambivalence
Review: *
I just returned from seeing the Rintarou/Otomo anime ''Metropolis'' at the movie theater (Valentine's Day weekend, 2002), and though it is quite an impressive piece of work on many levels, that is precicely this film's main shortcoming -- TOO MANY LEVELS!

Most reviewers of this film are put off by the ''cartoony'' animation of the main characters (most people comparing the style to ''Astro Boy'') ... I include myself in this group. I was also not too terribly fond of the little ''comical'' touches either, such as the scenes with ''Fifi'' or the ''firefighter bots'' -- I was expecting the film to ''play it straight'' throughout, despite the ''Saturday Morning Kiddie Cartoon'' character representations.

The overuse of CGI technology clashes all too often with the traditional animation techniques; the traditional art being at times remarkable and at other times bordering on cheesy.

Subtitles on the theatrical release often bleed into the background scenery; One should hope that the producers modify this for the DVD release, so that at least one distracting experience can be eliminated -- though I understand that the DVD will also be produced with an ''English'' dubbing option.

The story, on the other hand, is a work of excellence.

''Metropolis'' follows the adventures of ''Kenichi,'' who accompanies his detective uncle to arrest a ''Dr. Laughton,'' who has developed a blond-haired android girl named ''Tima,'' under the strict secret orders of ''Duke Red,'' who intends to have her sit on the ''throne'' of the ''Ziggurat'' and rule the world, in a time when robots have already stirred up human resentment and a spirit of anti-robot revolution hangs thick in the air. (To reveal any more about the plot of the story would be to give too much away.) Of course, things don't go as planned for anybody and everybody involved.

The film's REAL hero is the Anti-Hero ''Rock,'' an orphan adopted by ''Duke Red,'' and a member of the robot-hating ''Marduk'' party. ''Rock'' is cold, calculating and determined, but he has a deep loyalty to-- and an undying unconditional love for --''Duke Red'' (whom the young man calls ''Father'' and admires greatly), despite ''Duke Red's'' attempts to discourage such sentimentalities from ''Rock,'' which ultimately even includes banishment.

In fact, this theme runs heavy among all of the main characters, and though it seems out of place at first, it was clearly a stroke of genius to blare out Ray Charles' song ''I Can't Stop Loving You'' as ''Duke Red's'' achievements and fantastic visions literally crumble to nothing.

The film at times has a very ''Akira-ish'' feel to it, which makes for some enjoyable moments for fans of the anime classic, and one cannot help but feel Otomo Katsuhiro's presence as the scriptwriter of this film adaptation.

It is unfair to compare this ''Metropolis'' to the 1927 Fritz Lang B&W classic, since it obviously has little to do with it apart from serving as the story's source of inspiration.

Rintarou's ''Metropolis'' is definitely ''eye candy,'' for the most part, but the whole experience can be a little too much like letting a child run loose in a candy store, scarfing down a little bit of EVERYTHING until after a while it just becomes nausiating. Fortunately, the film's climax is intense enough to turn our attentions away from those very distracting elements of the film.

3-to-4-stars for CGI, 2-stars for character design, 4-stars for set and background design, 4-stars for story/plotline, 2-stars for soundtrack -- It's a work that's definitely worth taking a look at, but my personal suggestion would be to spend some time with it first as a RENTAL and try to get a feel for it, rather than jumping in head first.

*

Rating:
Summary: Great film with a unique persona
Review: I would highly reccomend this film to anyone, not just lovers of anime. Its a wonderfull juxtaposition of complexity and simplicity. Maybe a bit too simple as far as the story is concerned, but the wonderful characters more than make up for it. Rich visuals and stunning animation.. really seamless intigration between hand drawn and computer anime styles... reward (if not demand) multiple viewings. The scoring is unique and fits the movie well, very moving in some parts. Mostly, it's the overall identity of the movie I found most appealing and unique. The depth and spirit of the universe created by the film. Plus I cried at the end like a sissy.

Rating:
Summary: Akira meets Metropolis meets James Bond, opulently filmed.
Review: Akira meets Metropolis meets James Bond, opulently filmed with lotsa of very fine art deco Hugh Ferris / Schuiten-Peeters inspired urban skyscraper landscape rendering. A visual treat, very impressive homage to the original Metropolis by Fritz Lang, but otherwise incoherently and implausibly plotted story-line. Does not deserve to bear the honoured name 'Metropolis', & any comparison with the elemental force and originality of the 1927 Fritz Lang version is disappointing. Ends with an Akira-esque apocalyptic "intended-climax" (I use the term 'climax' advisedly, for it is anything but) in which everything blows up. Lotsa of inexplicable and incomprehensible undertones and relationships between the main protagonists. The closing sequence (when everything blows up set to a strange Japanified jazz song) is a failed homage to "Dr Strangelove - Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learnt to Love the Bomb". However, though the director here tried to replicate the acute sense of irony achieved by Stanley Kubrick in Dr Strangelove by using incongruous music set to scene of mass destruction, he failed miserably and the ending - intended to be grand, sad and ironic at the same time, was instead unbearably funny to Western sensibilities. No doubt the oriental audience in Tokyo found it incredibly (and incomprehensibly?) stylish (perhaps precisely because it was incomprehensible?).
Nevertheless, a must-watch meriting precisely ONE watch. Buy it, watch it, then pass it to a friend.