Knowing how rich can Anime movies be, this plot could've offered so much, it could've almost become a modern gem.
But unfortunately, it resulted in an approximate work under every point.
Starting the with more evident, the 3D animation just doesn't work.
Japanese animators and directors have every right to experiment with 3D, but this flick just confirms not only that they still have a long road to walk on, but also that it just doesn't suit their style.
The plot then follows a too rapid rhythm, summarizing its most important turns too much, when it could've benefited from a longer runtime (Anime Movies can count on that more than Western Animation, just go see that of some Ghibli titles like MONONOKE, or KAGUYA)
It offers so many intriguing and complex themes, about death, love, existence, responsibility, it seems like something born by Hideaki Anno's mind.
Then we could find also parallels with flicks such as TERMINATOR, and of course many will call in also the more recent EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE (which came out 3 years later).
Not that this means it is too derivative, but that surely doesn't add much to what could've been a real surprise, I'm sure.
Really sorry to admit this.
But unfortunately, it resulted in an approximate work under every point.
Starting the with more evident, the 3D animation just doesn't work.
Japanese animators and directors have every right to experiment with 3D, but this flick just confirms not only that they still have a long road to walk on, but also that it just doesn't suit their style.
The plot then follows a too rapid rhythm, summarizing its most important turns too much, when it could've benefited from a longer runtime (Anime Movies can count on that more than Western Animation, just go see that of some Ghibli titles like MONONOKE, or KAGUYA)
It offers so many intriguing and complex themes, about death, love, existence, responsibility, it seems like something born by Hideaki Anno's mind.
Then we could find also parallels with flicks such as TERMINATOR, and of course many will call in also the more recent EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE (which came out 3 years later).
Not that this means it is too derivative, but that surely doesn't add much to what could've been a real surprise, I'm sure.
Really sorry to admit this.