Metropolis (2002)

In the futuristic Metropolis, robots are segregated and used for all the menial work. Many unemployed blame the robots and pushing for revolution. Duke Red is building a vast skyscraper. A robot disrupts the opening and Duke Red's son Rock destroys the robot. Private detective Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi are hunting for scientist Dr. Laughton who is supposedly trafficking organs. Laughton has actually been hired by Duke Red to recreate his deceased daughter with an advanced robot.The visual style of this animated movie is beautiful. This is worthwhile watch simply for the visual aspect. The story is functional for more than half of the movie. Kenichi and the robot on the run is pretty good. The rest is a bit disjointed and complicated. Motivation is tricky. The twists and reveals are questionable and the story is overstuffed. It is still a beautiful looking piece of animation.

FYI: My post reveals small plot elements throughout the movie and is meant for people who've seen the entire movie already. It will be useless to you if you have not and please don't respond if you've not yet seen this film.I liked this movie a lot. Something I wondered is - Kenichi, is he a robot or a human? At first glance, everyone probably will say "doh idiot, of course he's human" or something, but consider this. If he was human, then why didn't he get chopped up with the organic waste when falling into that sewer drain like said? Also, he never eats or drinks anything, not exactly proof just a reinforcer. On top of that, when Tima asks his uncle what she is, she comments that she is just like Kenichi and his uncle makes it a point to say "Yes, just like Kenichi" almost as if to hint to the audience that maybe he was also a "Special" robot. After all, his uncle had been tracking down the mad doctor all this time, it is entirely possible that Kenichi was just another victim along the way and adopted by the detective during some pursuit. Anyways, there are also a lot of little things that suggest he may be a robot. Re-watch the movie again with this in mind and you will see what I mean. Please feel free to respond to this, but please, don't troll or bash.. I really am only interested in responses that merit some amount of thinking on your part, not just blind rage, hate or fear. Thanks for your time if you read this. -Thanks, osirisgothra, paradisim.zxq.net

A Japanese animation movie based on a comic by Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astroboy, that tells the story of android Tima and her human friend Kenichi in the city of Metropolis.Metropolis shares with Astroboy some of Tezuka's themes: Father-son troublesome relationship due to the Father's rejection and unloving treatment of the son. Also very important is the presence of a great variety of old-style chunky robots and very developed humanoids who ask themselves what/who I'm I?The animation is flamboyant and amazing regarding the settings, backgrounds, architecture and machinery, and combines 2-D and 3-D mixed with some real movie elements. Some of the scenes at the end of the movie are spectacular from a visual point of view, too.The mood of the movie is excellent, with the creation of a retro- futuristic city very developed but impoverished and with no freedom. We have the bright city and the underworld, with different colors and styles.The music is fantastic, also retro, with lots of Mow-Town, classic Jaz, alternating with symphonic pieces that reminded me of John Williams'.The script, though, is a poor mix of well known sci-fi elements and characters. I found the script not engaging most of the time, not only because of the unoriginality of the same, but, above all, because of the drawing of the characters is completely childish, which barely fits with the innovative and more artistic style of the rest of the movie. Tima and Kenichi are beautifully drawn, and, being children, the style suits them, but the adults are drawn in a comical style that doesn't suit the story either. It reminded me of famous TV cartoons of the 70s!I think it is a movie for teenagers, with elements that would suit both children and young adults. Not a movie for adults, to me.

The first and most concise thing I have to say about this movie is that it is beautiful. At first I was taken aback by the decision to have "old-style" character designs, but in the end it works perfectly.The themes we get to explore here range from love in many of its forms (by far the main theme) to political plotting to social-class struggle to robot rebellion to authoritarian power-concentration to narcissism... all that you expect from your good sci-fi. While I can concede that many aspects are not really developed (or even seem childish) the whole package is so nicely made that you won't notice, nor care.And the climax! It's just marvelous and overpowering, both visually and musically! Trust me, you just got to see it.