Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too Ambitious & Jumbled For Its Own Good., 16 Feb 2008
This movie's a bit of a jumbled mix of varying elements from the Matrix, Power Rangers, Pokemon, Manga, and Final Fantasy - to understand it you'll doubtless benefit from having a healthy appreciation for Japanese spiritualism, or at least be accepting of it - which doesn't apply to me (think strange entities zapping around the screen).
Nonetheless, I watched the whole thing (142 mins) in 3 sections and there are things to commend this movie such as the overall 'message', its morals and some of the effects - but the trouble is, it's just too ambitious a project and that's where it fails. It tries to cram too much into too small a space without giving the audience unfamiliar with the genre the opportunity understand what's going on.
For example, at one moment the soon-to-be leader of the 'Neoroids' is scrambling to save his life just after he's been created, and before you can say "pass the popcorn", he's in charge of an army of thousands of robots - and there's no explanation where they all came from. There are a number of large 'gaps' like this in the storyline.
It's very much an anti-war, and anti-'greed-is -good' movie and some of the early sequences reach their shocking truths near the end which in itself is quite clever - but, it's the airy fairy stuff I have difficulty with - Casshern is a legendary spirit protector of the world, yet isn't quite strong enough, eh, how's that work?!.
The robots looked like a straight rip-off of the sentinels (Matrix) but with legs, lined up as in Communist marching parades filmed from weird angles (think Pink Floyd - brick in the wall) and for a futuristic film it was a little too dependent upon ultra-heavy, steam driven industrial machinery. However, juxtaposed to this gnawing visual imagery was some truly beautiful piano music - and I'm not much of a piano lover.
For me overall package was just too confusing and disjointed to make it a movie I'd want to revisit, which is a shame because the underlying plot definitely had the potential of being something good.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dazzling disjointed epic!, 11 Mar 2007
Ok first off, this isn't going to be everyones cup of tea!! From some of the reviews already listed its clear that the sheer density of the film has prevented many viewers from seeing and understanding the many issues/themes that the film tries to deal with. Unfortunately this isn't greatly helped by the directors attempt to make a whole film in the same style that he makes his music videos - and for the less forgiving or casual on-looker this may put you off what appears to be a dis-jointed and confused film.
But if you do try to cut through the chunks of narrative and dense nature of the film you will indeed be rewarded! Visually there is no argument that this movie is at times breath taking and the director takes some serious risks to appear fresh and innovative (ie: the cut scene when the Robots first attack). Each scene ouzes style through the imaginative use of CGI with many parts of the film reminding me of Fritz Langs' epic Metropolis. Additionally you can even see a lazy wink towards Ridley Scotts Blade Runner within the storyline.
If you enjoy thought provoking sci-fi and are willing to put more into a film than merely laying on a sofa and eating popcorn, Casshern will deliver - you just have to work a bit harder than normal!!!
Visually stunning, innovative, brave but occasionally confused and dis-jointed - Casshern is not for everyone but it deserves to be watched and then you can make up your own mind!
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25 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Casshern, 6 Jul 2005
Set in a world ravaged by horrendous war, where a corrupt and failing government rules with oppression and fear, hamanity seems doomed to choke to death in a toxic wasteland of its own making. Doctor Azuma seeks to cure the sicknesses caused by the pollution by using Neo-cell research to grow spare parts for those struck with the illness. But a terrible event brings the component limbs and organs to together, granting life to a new sub-species. Only the Doctor's son Tetsuya, who died in the war, can save the world form the wrath of this new race...Casshern offers fantastic special effects, fabulous fight-scenes, and a gripping, inovative storyline thats so far removed from tired Hollywood genres. Pure untarnished genius.
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