Appleseed: Ex Machina
Two-Disc Collectors Edition
Based on the manga from creator Shirow Masamune, Shinji Aramaki follows up his 2004 take on Appleseed with this new outing which finds Deunan and Briareos as both partners and lovers. As members of ESWAT, the elite forces serving Olympus, they are deployed everywhere trouble strikes. The two fighters find their partnership tested in a new way by the arrival of Tereus who uncannily resembles Briareos before the wartime injuries that led to his becoming a cyborg. At the same time, Olympus finds itself under a stealth attack . Cyborg terrorism, deadly nanotech zealots, and rioting citizens are just some of the threats that Deunan must contend with as she fights to save Olympus.
Member Reviews
a visual treat - nouseforaname
Visually this movie is fantastic, the dialogue won't exactly blow your hair back but the action scenes are exceptional. Like most sci-fi movies it might seem a bit preachy to some as far as its sub text is concerned, its warning of the use of technology will be nothing new to most, but the movie contrasts that dark theme by showing the future as bright and colourfull which does a great job of adding balance to the film. Because of that contrast I'd say it is one of the more subjective and less manipulative sci-fi films I have seen.
Overal I'd say it's deffinately worth watching with enough depth in the characters and plot for rewatches as well.Amazingly detailed anime - Morpheus
Outstanding anime quality. Quality of voice acting in English is good. Use of music was very good. Plot was well written. Direction was innovative, with numerous scenes that were a visual treat. All in all, a rare find...a sequel that actually surpasses the original.A Stand-out sequel, but not without flaws - Aartox
Appleseed: Ex Machina far surpasses the quality of the original Appleseed film, but falls prey to the regular pitfalls of the sequel: namely, that much of the character development is accomplished in the previous film, and the current film expects its audience to bring this knowledge of character motivation forward to the new film. As a result, the viewer is left with a brilliantly animated film that will leave him/her feeling somewhat hollow, insofar as the film flirts at greatness, but never fully realizes its full potential.
As previous reviewers have said, Ex Machina looks brilliant. While the 2005 film that precedes this one was also a fine looking film, the combination of CG with traditional animation is stunning, but not without flaws. While this style of animation is brilliantly suited to the action sequences of the film, of which there are many, much of the character animation seems stilted and staccato--as though there were frames missing when characters walk and interact. This is particularly evident in sequences involving the Prime Minister and her aide; or, at the later party sequences when Deunan comes face to face (again) with Tereus. In comparison to the deftly animated action sequences and the beauty of movement, the transition between these scenes is jarring in its relative lack of quality.
Where Ex Machina will suffer for the viewer is in its depiction of plot. While straightforward enough (indeed, perhaps, overly predictable at points), there are too many moments of half-opportunities--as though the film were spliced together from multiple threads, each of which were cut short. As this is a separate entity from Masamume Shirow's original Manga, it isn't the fault of simplifying a larger text, but rather of a bad script. Perhaps what hurts the film the most, is that for the uninitiated viewer, the relationship between Deunan and Briareos will seem alien and unbelievable--and thus makes the ending seem trite.
Member Reviews
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a visual treat - nouseforaname
Visually this movie is fantastic, the dialogue won't exactly blow your hair back but the action scenes are exceptional. Like most sci-fi movies it might seem a bit preachy to some as far as its sub text is concerned, its warning of the use of technology will ...Amazingly detailed anime - Morpheus
Outstanding anime quality. Quality of voice acting in English is good. Use of music was very good. Plot was well written. Direction was innovative, with numerous scenes that were a visual treat. All in all, a rare find...a sequel that actually surpasses ...A Stand-out sequel, but not without flaws - Aartox
Appleseed: Ex Machina far surpasses the quality of the original Appleseed film, but falls prey to the regular pitfalls of the sequel: namely, that much of the character development is accomplished in the previous film, and the current film expects its audience ...