This is what brought Patlabor into the mainstream. Directed by Mamoru Oshii of Ghost In The Shell fame, this 1989 film is a classic of sci-fi anime and a solid chapter in the Patlabor saga.
The plot: Labors (humanoid heavy industrial robots) across Tokyo are going berserk independent of their pilots. Piecing together the evidence, the police Special Vehicles Unit (users of the titular patrol labors) realize that the berserk labors have something in common: They were all upgraded to a new operating system designed by a reclusive programmer. The catch? Said programmer committed suicide in the opening scene of the movie. The heroes soon discover that if they don't get on top of things soon, every labor in Tokyo will run amok, causing massive destruction.
Patlabor: The Movie is a huge leap forward from the original OVA. The higher budget allows for breathtaking animation, helped along by the intricate robot designs, while the movie format allows the characters much more room to breathe and play off each other. The cast feels like organic, living and breathing people rather than stock anime archetypes. The plot is intricate but cleverly planned-out, playing like a classic whodunit mystery on a grand scale. The sci-fi aspect is about as hard as it gets - it may not be possible in real life, but it feels perfectly plausible; this is about as real as the Real Robot Genre gets.
However, the film is not without its negatives. Most frustratingly, we never learn the posthumous villain's motives, and his death in the opening scene robs the protagonists of a meaningful personal victory against him. While this is true to life—real-world crimes rarely tie up neatly—from a narrative standpoint the climax feels overly impersonal.
Regardless of such complaints, Patlabor: The Movie is an excellent piece of sci-fi cinema. Whether you like anime, science-fiction, cop movies, or mystery stories, give this movie a watch.
Patlabor: The Movie
This is what brought Patlabor into the mainstream. Directed by Mamoru Oshii of Ghost In The Shell fame, this 1989 film is a classic of sci-fi anime and a solid chapter in the Patlabor saga.
The plot: Labors (humanoid heavy industrial robots) across Tokyo are going berserk independent of their pilots. Piecing together the evidence, the police Special Vehicles Unit (users of the titular patrol labors) realize that the berserk labors have something in common: They were all upgraded to a new operating system designed by a reclusive programmer. The catch? Said programmer committed suicide in the opening scene of the movie. The heroes soon discover that if they don't get on top of things soon, every labor in Tokyo will run amok, causing massive destruction.
Patlabor: The Movie is a huge leap forward from the original OVA. The higher budget allows for breathtaking animation, helped along by the intricate robot designs, while the movie format allows the characters much more room to breathe and play off each other. The cast feels like organic, living and breathing people rather than stock anime archetypes. The plot is intricate but cleverly planned-out, playing like a classic whodunit mystery on a grand scale. The sci-fi aspect is about as hard as it gets - it may not be possible in real life, but it feels perfectly plausible; this is about as real as the Real Robot Genre gets.
However, the film is not without its negatives. Most frustratingly, we never learn the posthumous villain's motives, and his death in the opening scene robs the protagonists of a meaningful personal victory against him. While this is true to life—real-world crimes rarely tie up neatly—from a narrative standpoint the climax feels overly impersonal.
Regardless of such complaints, Patlabor: The Movie is an excellent piece of sci-fi cinema. Whether you like anime, science-fiction, cop movies, or mystery stories, give this movie a watch.
Final grade: A-.