Casshern Movie Review
Friday, February 24, 2006
By: Mr. NiceguyHaven't heard of this movie? Dont feel bad, it hasn't come out in the U.S. yet. It's a japanese sci-fi film, based on a 1973 anime TV show of the same name, "Casshern" (Dont worry, it's not a remake).
It is also one of several movies that was produced almost entirely in front of a green screen. In other words, almost everything you see is not real, except for the actors, and even they are fake some times.
Set in a war torn, godless time, the earth is left polluted and diseased after years of fighting with terrorists. A great professor, Dr. Azuma, asks the government to support his Neo-Cell research which will help regenerate the human race. He is turned down, but is picked up by a division of the military.
Meanwhile, Dr. Azuma's family is falling apart. His wife is dying from contamination and his son, Tetsuya, is off to war in spite of his father. Time passes by and Tetsuya returns from war, dead.
Soon after Dr. Azuma finds out about his son, something goes wrong in his lab. A metal lightning bolt crashes down in the pool of Neo-Cells and mutant humans, later calling themselves Neo-Sapiens, come to life.
The Neo-Sapiens are hunted down and killed by the military as they try to escape. Dr. Azuma uses this distraction and puts his dead son into the pool of Neo-Cells, bringing him back to life. After being brought to safety and given a special armor suit to keep him from dying, Tetsuya is reborn as Casshern.
The few Neo-Sapiens that escape to an abandoned castle swear revenge against the humans that denied them life. They raise an army of robots and go to war. Casshern must now choose to side with his Neo-Sapien brethren or with the humans that play god.
The good news: Casshern is a work of art. Beautiful, even mystical at times. This is how an anime cartoon should look in live-action, bright, alluring and, well, shiny, like a brand spankin new something or other (insert joke if you like). Every environment is eye candy, delicious, sweet candy.
From the undustrial city to the fantastic forest, all scenes stand out. Although I didn't understand why half way through the film, certain scenes involving Casshern were in black and white. It wasn't bad, just odd. The characters are also astounding. The Neo-Sapiens dark suits clash well against Casshern's white armor, mask included. And the huge (Zathura looking) robots marching against the gas mask wearing human soldiers is an epic sight.
The bad news: The plot. It's not really bad, it just unfolds sloppily. Important events progress with quick cut-scenes, while the rest of the film moves along at the pace of a snail. A snail sprinkled with salt. Whats worst than a slow moving movie? Add long winded dialogue on top of it and you got the answer.
Every time someone talks, there always preaching or explaining something thats hard to understand, unless you pay very good attention. Who wants to do that! The lack of character development is also apparent. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the plot is weird, but interesting.
"Casshern" is not, I repeat, not an action movie. Their are action scenes in the movie, but not enough to classify it as action. Dont let this stop you from watching it though, because the scene where Casshern fights the robot army is one of the greatest "action" scenes I've ever seen. It's a memorable event, and the main reason why I decided to watch the movie.
This is an emotional, once in a life time experience, and while the style may not be for all and the story may bore you at times, dont miss this movie. It isn't a waste of time. What is a waste of time? War. Just like they say in "Casshern", war is an endless repitition.
So enlist now! Or just look for "Casshern" on DVD....or or, wait for it to be released (supposedly) in a theater near you!
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posted by Evil @ 5:23 AM,
