rachel on 6/2/2019 at 07:43
Just saw it last night. Solid B+ from me. I'm long time fan of the manga pretty much since it came out, and I'd been looking forward to it with great anticipation and great fear that they would fuck it up... They didn't. Great flick and outstanding as an adaptation. Wholly recommended.
Slightly spoilery mini review below:
Reading the reviews already out, I have the feeling people not familiar with the source material will often miss the point and focus on minutiae instead of looking at the bigger picture and what the movie is about. This is unfair as the Rodriguez and Cameron went to great length to make a faithful adaptation and it permeates everywhere you look.
Few changes though. Some details about Nova were intriguing. I'd be curious to see where they're going with this. The take on Vektor, played by Mahershala Ali, being more of a puppet was interesting and added some layers to an otherwise relatively flat character. The opposite for Jennifer Connelly, she's probably my biggest disappointment, if I can use that word? The character is created solely for the movie and it badly shows, she has no real depth and serves in the end for something that in the manga Gally figured by herself. I love Connelly and she did the best she could with what she had, but that's not much.
The motorball sequences and the world building are absolutely fantastic. It feels lived in, used, organic and soooo so grounded. I would love to see more of it. Again, the attention to details shows indeed how much Cameron and Rodriguez love the manga and tried to translate it to the medium.
Rosa nailed Gally and her nuances. The love story is cheesy, but then again, so it is in the manga too. I have the feeling that trying to make it more "mature" would have been detrimental to her growth as a character; Her arc with Hugo is indispensable as it's what leads her to the next chapter in her story.
Did I mention the motorball sequence. Because MOTORBALL. IN 3D. In your FACE.
Anyway, epic.
ZylonBane on 6/2/2019 at 15:01
Quote Posted by raph
The opposite for Jennifer Connelly, she's probably my biggest disappointment, if I can use that word? The character is created solely for the movie and it badly shows...
Umm...
(
https://battleangel.fandom.com/wiki/Chiren)
rachel on 6/2/2019 at 15:26
Ugh. That says a lot. The OVA is pretty terrible.
I concede your point though, in that they didn't create her from scratch for the movie. But even then, being from the OVA doesn't really help her case. It's a totally redundant character.
icemann on 6/2/2019 at 17:40
If only there'd been that Labyrinth sequel, that I'd forever wished for as a kid.
Whenever I think Jennifer Connelly. Labyrinth is the first thing I think of.
rachel on 6/2/2019 at 19:43
For me it's The Rocketeer. Love that movie, and the James Horner score is excellent.
ZylonBane on 6/2/2019 at 21:42
Quote Posted by raph
The OVA is pretty terrible.
Only Gunnm manga weenies think this. For people who'd never seen the source material, the (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKTxbZPqzFM) OVA was pretty damn great (for early 90s anime anyway).
Renzatic on 6/2/2019 at 21:57
Quote Posted by icemann
If only there'd been that Labyrinth sequel, that I'd forever wished for as a kid.
Whenever I think Jennifer Connelly. Labyrinth is the first thing I think of.
Quote Posted by raph
For me it's The Rocketeer. Love that movie, and the James Horner score is excellent.
Hell, I agree with both of these. It's a little too late for another Labyrinth, though.
As for Battle Angel. Considering I've only seen the OVA many, many years ago, I guess my expectations for it will be at least nominally met. I might check it out in the theater this weekend.
rachel on 6/2/2019 at 22:23
Guess I'm a weenie then, ZB. For me Gunnm is the manga, first and foremost.
Renz, it's a must see. The amount of work they put into setting up this world and making it unique is insane, and the visuals and the action sequences are absolutely stunning. This movie puts so much effort into building something fresh, completely different from every other franchise: it's nothing like the MCU, or DC, or *gasp* Transformers, it's its own thing. Styling choices make it unmistakably a Rodriguez flick, but you can also 100% see Cameron's special brand of perfectionism permeating very frame.
Don't miss it. For me, I'll definitely be going again.
icemann on 7/2/2019 at 08:14
Quote Posted by Renzatic
Hell, I agree with both of these. It's a little too late for another Labyrinth, though.
Oh for sure. I was more meaning, a sequel back then. So with Bowie of a similar age, Connelly in it, the Henson puppets etc etc.
rachel on 18/2/2019 at 18:58
No one? Come on guys, go see this movie it's awesome.