Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Japan has created something amazing in terms of animation. Known as anime, Japan's animation style has reflected on American culture, so much so, Hollywood has taken notice. One thing that anime has influenced is the fan base; so many people enjoy different style of anime, it's almost crazy to think that this is happening right now. One of the people that enjoys anime is James Cameron, and now he has crafted a world based off the Yukito Kishiro manga (Japanese comic book) 'Gunnm', into a feature film called “Alita: Battle Angel”. The end result is that the film is good, but not great. While the film looks nice, the story is sort of jumbled, and for those who do not know the source material, may be somewhat confused or lost in translation. “Alita: Battle Angel” is impressive enough, but without a flowing narrative, it feels like some things are better left in Japan.

The story involves Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) living in the near future, and finding a broken cyborg, whom he fixes. The cyborg turns out to be female, so the good doctor names her Alita (Rosa Salazar). In this futuristic society, robotics and cyborgs exist, however, as Alita learns more about this world and herself, there is something sinister going on.

“Alita: Battle Angel” is an impressive and ambitious production that has been plagued by numerous delays. And now, the final product is all right. Nothing spectacular, but nothing too terrible, either.

For starters, the visual effects really stand out. Yes, everything is done via computers, but man does it look impressive. The world that this movie brings out, and all of the CGI on most of the characters, is quite good. This is a movie deserving of the term “eye candy”. In fact, the whole movie does feel like an adaptation of an anime coming to life. Now, just like Cameron's film “Avatar”, this is being advertised as movie that needs to be truly experienced in 3D. I personally didn't see this film in 3D, but looking at what it is accomplishing, perhaps the 3D might work; I wouldn't know for sure.

The cast does a fine job with Salazar in the titular role being good with what she's given. Waltz also gives out a good performance as a father figure trying to help out a child in times of need.

However, there are two performances that just don't feel like they are giving it their all. Those being Mahershala Ali and Jennifer Connelly. They appear to be part of the bad guys' plan, but there is no emotional attachment to them. It feels like they are there, and that's it. What's was their purpose again?

The action in this movie is incredible and when it happens, it's fast and really keeps you on your toes. The Motorball sequence near the end of the film, is especially a highlight and it is quite memorable.

With that being said, then main issue with the film is with the story. It feels like things happen for no reason. Alita becomes a bounty hunter- that goes nowhere. Alita is suddenly learns to fight like a talented warrior- just happens at the beginning of the film, and progresses through there. Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis wrote the screenplay, and its a jumbled mess. Characters are not that interesting outside of Alita and the doctor, things just happen, and the movie ends on a note that a sequel will conclude the story. If the movie had been a little longer (and with Cameron, he likes his movies to be long), and given more time to develop this world a bit more, then the movie would have been quite entertaining.

As it is, “Alita: Battle Angel” looks nice, and has good leads, but the story is a mess, and could have gone a little longer. Hollywood, you were this close to making a good anime adaptation, but the result was mediocre.