Casshern
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Movie Reviews of Casshern
Movie Review: STUNNING VISUALS
Summary: 5 Stars
Casshern is based on a 1970's Japanese Anime series Shinzô Ningen Kyashân (translated as "Neo-Human Casshern". This is a futuristic film set in the shadow of The Fifty Year War between Europa and the Eastern Federation (basically Asia). The Eastern Federation has won the war but the after effects of nuclear and chemical fallout has left the region poisoned. They continue to battle what the deem as terrorists, those souls of Zone 7 where the radiation is particularly bad. The film opens with one of the most eye-popping scenes in any sci-fi picture, recounting the events of the war as legions of Europa's massive robots march on the Eastern Federation. If the first five minutes of the film don't have you energized you're probably already dead.
The film is a visual feast for the eyes. A mix of live action, animation, and CGI. The industrialized, mechanized, and grimy city conjures up images of the silent film classic `Metropolis' with its monolithic and imposing architecture and great air ships soaring in the skies. The mix of film styles was very nearly seamless creating a mythological landscape yet painfully rooted in the not-too distant future. With the health of its citizens in rapid decline, the Eastern Federation tries to come up with a means to save its people. Their hope comes from Dr. Asuma, a scientist who develops what he calls "neo-cells" which can revitalize the mind and body, curing disease, and healing wounds. The neo-cells can even regenerate body parts. But a sinister faction of the government sees other uses for Dr. Azuma's discovery. An accident or perhaps just an unexpected result of the experiment results in a creation of mutant humans whose bodies piece themselves together from organ farms in the factory.
They are called "Neo-Sapiens" and their exposure to the Neo-cells makes them incredibly strong and resilient. They are immediately hunted down and killed by the government. Only a handful survive and escape into the vast wilderness of Zone 7 where they find a surviving fortress of old Europa, it's army of robots and other war machines waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting Eastern Federation. Dr. Azuma places his son Tetsuya, who was killed in battle, into the Neo cells, bringing him back to life with fantastic powers. Tetsuya's powers are contained by a special suit of armor developed by Dr. Kozuki, the father of Tetsuya's girlfriend, Luna.
As the Neo-Sapiens leader, Akubon, leads the robots on an assault of the city, Tetsyua soars to the rescue in a dynamic battle that makes Neo's battle against the multitude of Agent Smith's from the Matrix Reloaded look like a Sunday school bible meeting. As Tetsuya literally blasts his way through the giant robots I couldn't help but think that this was perhaps the better superhero-style battle ever put on film. Truly awe-inspiring! However, don't think that Casshern is a mere mind-numbing action film. The movie is heavy with messages of racial tolerance and anti-war sentiments. Even as the Eastern Federation has won the war, they have ultimately doomed their populace.
Editing is a thing I rarely notice or mention but in here it's a vital part of the film. There are quick cut-aways from scenes of violence and war to those of pastoral serenity, giving the viewer a startling contrast. The soundtrack was also dead on the money and evoked a range of emotions from the exhilarating to the morose. Casshern is one of those films that just doesn't look like anything else, at least anything else on film. As note, this is a brand new version of the DVD with a running time of 1 hour and 57 minutes. There was a previous, heavily edited version that ran just 80 minutes. This is a marvelous technical achievement in filmmaking!
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON
Movie Review: On Love, War, Strife, and Peace.
Summary: 5 Stars
_Casshern_ (2004) is an excellent Japanese superhero science fiction film written and directed by Kazuaki Kiriya that deals with some of the profound questions of our time. The film is in many ways a Japanese version of _Brave New World_ showing the role of the state in war and the role of personal greed in prolonging war and causing death. The film is set in the Twenty-First century featuring an earth in crisis. War has long raged between Europa and Asia and eventually this war results in the formation of an Eastern Federation. Geneticists seek to create a healing mechanism making use of "Neo-Cells" which can rejuvenate the human body. However, in order to do so they must plunder the bodies of those who live in Zone 7, who are deemed to be terrorists. Dr. Azuma leads the front in the creation of these "Neo-Cells" in a mad effort to prolong human life (ultimately prompted by nothing more than old-fashioned human greed). Despite the warnings of Dr. Azuma, his own son Tetsuya decides to go to war leaving behind his girlfriend Luna and his mother. However, Tetsuya is tragically killed in battle. It is at this point that a miracle occurs and a bolt of lightning strikes the tanks holding the "Neo-Cells" causing them to recombine to form human beings - known as the "Neo-Sapiens". The humans decide to start hunting down the non-human Neo-Sapiens; however, the Neo-Sapiens have other plans and will make use of Europa's old robot army. Ironically, Dr. Azuma decides to restore his own son to life by placing him in a vat containing the Neo-Cells, and thus is born Casshern, a warrior superhero and the resurrected form taken on by Tetsuya. The rest of the film focuses on the conflict between Tetsuya as Casshern and the Neo-Sapiens as well as the palace intrigue surrounding the rulers of the Eastern Federation and the evil corporation sponsoring the geneticists. Ultimately, this film will bring forth difficult questions such as "Why must we fight?" and "Why is there not peace?". The film also touches on the potentially harmful effects that may result from mankind's tampering with nature through genetics. The moral questions faced by those who seek to prolong life, even if that means depriving others of life, are faced directly in this film. Questions of war and peace, love and life, and the devastating consequences which result from human greed are profoundly touched upon in this action movie. As such, I believe this movie is worth watching and despite the fact that it is billed as an action movie, the subtle questions posed by this film cannot be avoided because we face the same sorts of questions in our world today.Movie Review: Stunning imagery & a complex plot
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend of mine bought this DVD for cheap, found she couldn't keep up with the subtitles or complex plot, so she sent it to me after she'd watched only a few minutes of it.
I'm very grateful to her for making me aware of this DVD! This film is, admittedly, a bit difficult to follow at times as one tries to read the English subtitles as the quick-fire images stream across the screen. In a number of places, instant flashbacks indicate revelations essential to understanding the story. So it's a thinker movie one really has to pay attention to, and maybe you'll need to watch it twice to catch subtle but essential bits you previously missed.
Having said that, even if I didn't understand the plot, I'd have to recommend this film for its breathtaking visuals. The CGI and normal film footage (and god knows what other methods) are blended together beautifully. Scenes of thousands of identical robots marching destructively through a city, world-wide destruction as humans battle robots and humans battle "neo-humans". Some sequences are shot in high speed to great effect. One is often reminded of anime special effects, only here they are done realistically. The filtered colors and tints are blindingly beautiful even when they depict scenes of ultimate nightmare and destruction.
All-in-all, this is an incredible film that has an excellent, albeit rather dark, plot. But the viewer is required to concentrate in order to "get" the finer points of the story. The final scene is open for personal interpretation in its details, but the overall resolution is pretty clear. I highly recommend this movie for its fantastic visuals and, hey, admit it, it's actually GOOD when a filmmaker forces the viewers to actually pay attention and think as they watch the film. If you aren't willing to concentrate beyond the level of a "Spiderman" movie, however, you will probably only end up frustrated and with a headache if you watch this film. Personally, I love it!
Movie Review: Stunning and bittersweet.
Summary: 5 Stars
Above all, besides being incredibly beautiful eye-candy, "Casshern" is a deeply spiritual film. It is a meditation on human nature, innocence, war and the origins of evil. It cuts right to the heart of what really matters in life and what truly lies in the deepest soul of each person. I was enthralled for most of the film, disgusted at some of it, and in tears during the final scenes. The contrast between the remembered happiness of simpler times and the twisted anger and hatred evinced throughout the rest of the movie was striking and heart-wrenching, especially in the implication that it is that simple love and joy that truly lasts in eternity, rendering the endless war and greed and cruelty on earth ultimately meaningless. I highly recommend this movie.Movie Review: Great film, but do not buy this truncated American dvd version
Summary: 5 Stars
Casshern is a great flim, that really probably requires 3 viewings to truly appreciate. (My first viewing I thought it was really cool, the second time I wasn't sure what I thought about the movie, then the third time (perhaps the first time on a wide-screen tv) I thought it was great.) So why, now, would the American release of the film cut out a full 18 minutes out of the film?! The movie can be difficult for new viewers to understand at first viewing and this vastly truncated release does not help understanding the story at all. The correct running time for this film is 135 minutes. At any rate, a film with great visuals, cool characters, an interesting storyline. Basically a very well done superhero movie.