This movie is all about a near-future issue we likely have to deal with in our lifetimes: what if technology becomes so good we can we can replace any part of our body with prosthetic enhancements, including our brains? What really makes us human? What makes an individual more than just a collection of memories, especially if memories can be faulty?
That's just where the movie starts. Then it really goes off the deep end.
It starts off with a bang. This is not the movie for people who like to be spoon-fed. You dive head first into a cyberpunk universe and you just have to learn what's normal and what's weird as you go along. For people who like worldbuilding this way, it's fantastic. Others might just feel confused.
The antagonist isn't really a villain... Which is what makes them a great antagonist. The fact that someone so amazingly... Different from us can still be relatable is a testament to good characterization.
The music is simply amazing.
On the other hand, the movie has a few flaws. It suddenly slows down every once in a while for the characters to just talk philosophy. A good chunk of the final confrontation is just talking and info dumping. The pacing goes from super fast to super slow. Like I said before, it jumps into the deep end and can be confusing. I didn't actually get it until I watched it a second time. Also, the original English dub sucks. Just watch it with subtitles.
Despite those negatives, though, it remains a great film because of its excellent worldbuilding, great antagonist, great themes, and it poses many questions to the viewer while letting them figure out their own answer, because like any good question, there isn't just one right answer. It's a film worth thinking about.
A cyberpunk classic for good reason, but not perfect.
This movie is all about a near-future issue we likely have to deal with in our lifetimes: what if technology becomes so good we can we can replace any part of our body with prosthetic enhancements, including our brains? What really makes us human? What makes an individual more than just a collection of memories, especially if memories can be faulty?
That's just where the movie starts. Then it really goes off the deep end.
It starts off with a bang. This is not the movie for people who like to be spoon-fed. You dive head first into a cyberpunk universe and you just have to learn what's normal and what's weird as you go along. For people who like worldbuilding this way, it's fantastic. Others might just feel confused.
The antagonist isn't really a villain... Which is what makes them a great antagonist. The fact that someone so amazingly... Different from us can still be relatable is a testament to good characterization.
The music is simply amazing.
On the other hand, the movie has a few flaws. It suddenly slows down every once in a while for the characters to just talk philosophy. A good chunk of the final confrontation is just talking and info dumping. The pacing goes from super fast to super slow. Like I said before, it jumps into the deep end and can be confusing. I didn't actually get it until I watched it a second time. Also, the original English dub sucks. Just watch it with subtitles.
Despite those negatives, though, it remains a great film because of its excellent worldbuilding, great antagonist, great themes, and it poses many questions to the viewer while letting them figure out their own answer, because like any good question, there isn't just one right answer. It's a film worth thinking about.