Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido, a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens, she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious past.
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, Keean Johnson
Release Date: February 14, 2019
Genres: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
Runtime: 2h 22min
Review:
Alita: Battle Angel is a movie I've been hearing about for round about 20 years now, if that's not completely accurate it's pretty close. James Cameron's passion project has been gestating in one shape or form for a long while. Originally he'd intended to direct the script he'd co-written but he'd become engulfed in Avatar and its subsequent sequels. He finally handed off the film to Robert Rodriguez to finally bring the whole thing to life. So simply put, is it worth the wait? I believe so and that's coming at this Manga adaptation completed unfamiliar with the source material, like say Ghost in The Shell.
The film is a surprisingly cynical free, cyberpunk adventure that has a lot to offer. First and foremost, the world building and CGI visuals are all top notch with only a few hiccups here and there. Alita, herself, is a fully realized motion capture CGI creation, after getting used to her large Anime inspired eyes, that's a true testament to the technical prowess of the people behind the film. Rose Salazar's motion capture performance is endearing as she plays a nice balance between naive and lethal. The world feels lived in and diverse even if it doesn't feel as fresh as most post-apocalyptic cyber punk landscapes did back in the 90s. Still, it's well done and populated with a large variety of different characters to keep things fresh and interesting.
The story itself feels familiar, which is a common issue with Mangas from the 90's or even William Gibson novels, but there are enough disparate story threads to keep you engaged in what's going on. There are issues that pop up throughout, mostly due the script which has its fair share of clunky dialogue. There's also the massive misstep of casting top line actors like Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali to support Salazar and the story but never taking full advantage of their talents. Instead the film opts to give Keean Johnson a spotlight even though he and Salazar don't share much chemistry. Alita: Battle Angel's issues and how they affect your enjoyment of the film is totally dependent on whether you buy in early on. The film throws a lot at you, everything from Motorball (a sort of Nascar meets cyborg roller derby), cyborg bounty hunters, cities in the sky and some sort of cataclysmic war that occurred 300 years before the start of film. Does it resolve all plot points, not even close and a reveal at the end shows that Rodriguez and Cameron have more entries in mind, but I believe the film will either leave you wanting more or hating it with a passion.
B+
Alita: Battle Angel is a movie I've been hearing about for round about 20 years now, if that's not completely accurate it's pretty close. James Cameron's passion project has been gestating in one shape or form for a long while. Originally he'd intended to direct the script he'd co-written but he'd become engulfed in Avatar and its subsequent sequels. He finally handed off the film to Robert Rodriguez to finally bring the whole thing to life. So simply put, is it worth the wait? I believe so and that's coming at this Manga adaptation completed unfamiliar with the source material, like say Ghost in The Shell.
The film is a surprisingly cynical free, cyberpunk adventure that has a lot to offer. First and foremost, the world building and CGI visuals are all top notch with only a few hiccups here and there. Alita, herself, is a fully realized motion capture CGI creation, after getting used to her large Anime inspired eyes, that's a true testament to the technical prowess of the people behind the film. Rose Salazar's motion capture performance is endearing as she plays a nice balance between naive and lethal. The world feels lived in and diverse even if it doesn't feel as fresh as most post-apocalyptic cyber punk landscapes did back in the 90s. Still, it's well done and populated with a large variety of different characters to keep things fresh and interesting.
The story itself feels familiar, which is a common issue with Mangas from the 90's or even William Gibson novels, but there are enough disparate story threads to keep you engaged in what's going on. There are issues that pop up throughout, mostly due the script which has its fair share of clunky dialogue. There's also the massive misstep of casting top line actors like Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali to support Salazar and the story but never taking full advantage of their talents. Instead the film opts to give Keean Johnson a spotlight even though he and Salazar don't share much chemistry. Alita: Battle Angel's issues and how they affect your enjoyment of the film is totally dependent on whether you buy in early on. The film throws a lot at you, everything from Motorball (a sort of Nascar meets cyborg roller derby), cyborg bounty hunters, cities in the sky and some sort of cataclysmic war that occurred 300 years before the start of film. Does it resolve all plot points, not even close and a reveal at the end shows that Rodriguez and Cameron have more entries in mind, but I believe the film will either leave you wanting more or hating it with a passion.
B+
