Soyuzmultfilm proved more than once before 1988's 'The Path' that they could do the science fiction genre successfully, though there is a preference for their fairytale/folk tale adaptations and their fantasies. They proved it with 1953's 'Flight to the Moon', which also has historical significance for being the first Soviet science-fiction animation. They proved it too with 1981's 'The Mystery of the Third Planet', one of their best and most unique later efforts.
'The Path' is as good, great even, as those two. While it is not one of my favourite Soyuzmultfilm animations and it is not quite my definition of flawless, it is one of their most fascinating and most visually striking later efforts and perhaps director Vladimir Tarasov's most interesting film in style and mood. It is also remarkably dark and boldly surreal, which is quite a contrast to quite a lot of Soyuzmultfilm's animations and compared to something like 1981's 'Cabaret' seen immediately before 'The Path'.
What immediately stands out about 'The Path' is the animation, which is so jaw-droppingly amazing that it warrants more than two stars of the already high rating and enough to warrant its own paragraph. There is vivid use of colour and imaginative attention to detail, with the most unique design for a spaceship anywhere and how disturbing-looking the planet looks. Where the animation most excels is in the atmosphere, which is surreal without being too strange that it affects cohesion and the contrasts of dark shadows and graphic reds and yellows are really striking.
Music is also well suited, surprisingly so considering the style is not what comes to my head when picking a style to suit. Did worry that it would be too at odds, but the graphic, bold surrealism is actually enhanced by the hard rock song. The story is very imaginatively executed and while it challenges in how thought-provoking it is it never confuses. What is particularly good about the story though is the dark mood that is created, there is a genuine sense of foreboding thanks to the planet setting and how sharply and disturbingly realistic it comes over as. Some of it is also contemplative and the action excites. The characters are worth investing in and are interesting.
Only one drawback here and that is the comic relief, which came over as very out of place and wasn't very funny.
In conclusion, wonderful. 9/10.
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