ESCAFLOWNE: THE MOVIE
December 10th 2009 19:59
Category: Videos
Created by: Shoji Kawamori & Hajime Yatate
Director: Kazuki Akane
Producers: Masuo Ueda, Minoru Takanashi, Masahiko Minami & Toboyuki Yokohama
Starring: Kirby Morrow (Van), Kelly Sheridan (Hitomi), Paul Dobson (Folken), Brian Drummond (Allen), Jocelyn Loewen (Merle) & Venus Terzo (Princess Milema),
Produced by: Sunrise & Bandai Visual
English Version by: Bandai Entertainment in association with the Ocean Group
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 95 minutes Rating: M15
Actually I’m still trying to work out just what exactly this particular feature is all about, is it a high fantasy drama filled with wall to wall carnage, a treatise on the human condition and how painful it is to be all alone in the society in which you live or even a tale of betrayal and revenge? Perhaps it’s all of the above? Actually when the dust finally settled on this and I sat back for a few moments I felt that it was like eating an undercooked hamburger or kebab, it was trying to cram far too much into too short a period of time and not really making any significant impact. One of the individuals behind this particular flick was also involved in Aquarion and Macross Zero, both high quality features in terms of anime, yet this anime seems to be hampered, a work that seeks to go in too many directions all at once and not really going anywhere. Shame really as the promo made it all look so promising.
Escaflowne is one of those films where the device of someone from our own world is transported into another, a fairly common shtick in the genres of science fiction and fantasy which can either work very well or end up being rather clichéd. Here though it seems to be neither clichéd or finely tuned but just downright confusing in my view, we have high school track and field star, Hitomi suddenly whisked away from her somewhat dull, moribund and depressing life in contemporaneous Japan. Someone who is on the verge of committing suicide Hitomi is a character that frankly is hard to empathise with. Still it seems as if she is the one around whom the drama of this film will revolve for reasons that are hard to fathom.
Drawn by magic into the world of Gaea she is to the inhabitants of that mysterious, enigmatic world the Wing Goddess, a prophetic individual who will hopefully bring about a new age for the locals. But why her? After all it seems as if her only talents are moping and athletic ability, not exactly the talents you’d expect a saviour goddess to exhibit in her mission of saving the world. But it seems that being able to do anything out of the ordinary is not what is required of Hitomi, far from it, it is apparently her relative ordinariness and understanding of depression and loneliness that are her gifts, these are the abilities that will be pivotal in saving Gaea. Certainly it’s an interesting take on things but as the drama unfolds it’s not exactly something that enhances the tale or makes for riveting viewing.
The other major protagonist in this film is Van, one of the last few surviving princes of the Black Dragons, he was meant to be heir to the clan’s leadership but his ‘wicked’ brother Folken usurped him and set about establishing a reign of tyranny and terror. Then his idea of being the ruler of the world changes and takes a rather nihilistic turn, he seeks to completely destroy the world and all who live on it, for only in such a ‘cleansing’ cataclysm can all sorrow, fear, terror and pain truly end and be finally healed. Naturally his brother isn’t too keen on such a path and seeks to end his reign, in a suitably violent manner. Sibling rivalry on a grand scale with a world in balance, you’d think it would be potentially gripping stuff but it comes across as rather flat and one dimensional, the feeling is lacking. In fact as a villain Lord Folken comes across as more of a caricature than a character of substance. He is more akin to a melodrama villain than the primary antagonist within a fantasy epic.
Added into this mix is the legendary dragon armour Escaflowne, apparently this is a fantasy version of the ubiquitous mecha so fond of Japanese anime. Actually one wonders if this was the reason why Sunrise agreed to do this feature, as they seem to be noted for mecha anime. Dragon armour though can only be used by someone who is of the Black Dragon blood; it just can’t be employed by any old Tom, Dick or Greznick it has to be someone from that clan. Escaflowne is more selective as a dragon armour; its user has to be someone of the royal lineage, the leaders of the clan. Van is one of two people who can use this destructive suit but the problem is that being fused into the armour can lead to ones more negative emotions taking control and a burning lust to destroy and cause carnage on grand scale consuming the wearer. Not a good thing by a long shot.
Everything in this film pretty much falls into place like a series of dominos, the only feeling you get is that as I said in the beginning it’s all rather underdone and flat. There is no real tension or apprehension, it’s all very much telegraphed to the viewer as time ticks over and thus you get no satisfaction when the credits roll and what has happened in the closing moments is exactly how you expected it to be. Perhaps if this went on for two hours instead an hour and a half it might have been a tighter drama, as it is it’s just a disappointment. It’s a real shame really as there are some good elements in the tale, but they just isn’t the time to develop them and let them have real impact on the film.
Director: Kazuki Akane
Producers: Masuo Ueda, Minoru Takanashi, Masahiko Minami & Toboyuki Yokohama
Starring: Kirby Morrow (Van), Kelly Sheridan (Hitomi), Paul Dobson (Folken), Brian Drummond (Allen), Jocelyn Loewen (Merle) & Venus Terzo (Princess Milema),
Produced by: Sunrise & Bandai Visual
English Version by: Bandai Entertainment in association with the Ocean Group
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 95 minutes Rating: M15
Actually I’m still trying to work out just what exactly this particular feature is all about, is it a high fantasy drama filled with wall to wall carnage, a treatise on the human condition and how painful it is to be all alone in the society in which you live or even a tale of betrayal and revenge? Perhaps it’s all of the above? Actually when the dust finally settled on this and I sat back for a few moments I felt that it was like eating an undercooked hamburger or kebab, it was trying to cram far too much into too short a period of time and not really making any significant impact. One of the individuals behind this particular flick was also involved in Aquarion and Macross Zero, both high quality features in terms of anime, yet this anime seems to be hampered, a work that seeks to go in too many directions all at once and not really going anywhere. Shame really as the promo made it all look so promising.
The other major protagonist in this film is Van, one of the last few surviving princes of the Black Dragons, he was meant to be heir to the clan’s leadership but his ‘wicked’ brother Folken usurped him and set about establishing a reign of tyranny and terror. Then his idea of being the ruler of the world changes and takes a rather nihilistic turn, he seeks to completely destroy the world and all who live on it, for only in such a ‘cleansing’ cataclysm can all sorrow, fear, terror and pain truly end and be finally healed. Naturally his brother isn’t too keen on such a path and seeks to end his reign, in a suitably violent manner. Sibling rivalry on a grand scale with a world in balance, you’d think it would be potentially gripping stuff but it comes across as rather flat and one dimensional, the feeling is lacking. In fact as a villain Lord Folken comes across as more of a caricature than a character of substance. He is more akin to a melodrama villain than the primary antagonist within a fantasy epic.
Added into this mix is the legendary dragon armour Escaflowne, apparently this is a fantasy version of the ubiquitous mecha so fond of Japanese anime. Actually one wonders if this was the reason why Sunrise agreed to do this feature, as they seem to be noted for mecha anime. Dragon armour though can only be used by someone who is of the Black Dragon blood; it just can’t be employed by any old Tom, Dick or Greznick it has to be someone from that clan. Escaflowne is more selective as a dragon armour; its user has to be someone of the royal lineage, the leaders of the clan. Van is one of two people who can use this destructive suit but the problem is that being fused into the armour can lead to ones more negative emotions taking control and a burning lust to destroy and cause carnage on grand scale consuming the wearer. Not a good thing by a long shot.
Everything in this film pretty much falls into place like a series of dominos, the only feeling you get is that as I said in the beginning it’s all rather underdone and flat. There is no real tension or apprehension, it’s all very much telegraphed to the viewer as time ticks over and thus you get no satisfaction when the credits roll and what has happened in the closing moments is exactly how you expected it to be. Perhaps if this went on for two hours instead an hour and a half it might have been a tighter drama, as it is it’s just a disappointment. It’s a real shame really as there are some good elements in the tale, but they just isn’t the time to develop them and let them have real impact on the film.
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