I’m very torn about this film. I thoroughly enjoyed that it was not a remake of a superhero movie, but the script is rigid at the time. I liked all of the different powers that the characters had, but the story felt like a huge let-down at the end. I think there were more good things than bad. A couple characters had some motivation to do what they wanted and that made me happy. I think the film does a lot to say what it’s like to be different sort of like the X-Men in a way. I liked the idea of two different factions warring it out because of manipulation. I didn’t have a bad time and I laughed quite a bit (although, I’m not sure if I was supposed to or not).
It’s almost a relief to not have to hear the “remake” before watching the film. So it’s nice to see something new. I haven’t read the novel that goes along with the film, so it was my first experience with the property which feels different nowadays. The powers in the film were pretty cool too, especially the speed ones. The shots they got of the characters moving at super speeds and fighting were really cool. It was like seeing Superman: Dawn of Justice during the fights. It was intense and action packed. Subaru had the coolest powers with his ability to see into the future to block moves and I liked the diversity of the other powers. My other favorites were the girl who spits her braces at people and the almost telepathic power that Saya had.
With films like these, it’s almost a drag to sit through so much exposition. At a certain point, I just wanted the action to start. I wish that could’ve tried to interweave the exposition into the film and didn’t try so hard to harbor home the idea of finding yourself. Each time the film felt like it was picking up, it almost came to halt so characters could pose philosophical questions to consider their place in the world. I understand that it’s an issue to try to find yourself, but I wish the film didn’t feel like it was either completely still or racing intensely. The balance in pacing was not there.
My main flaw with the film is the script. Sometimes, I thought the translation was a little off, but I feel like it’s just rigid in general. The characters say things that are so cliché or so off the wall that it’s hilarious. Also, the whole screaming someone’s name during their prolonged death is exhausting. I think Subaru cried out “Wataru!?” around 20 times before I yawned. Manabu also called his genitals a “waste duct” because he can’t reproduce and some lady in the audience laughed for 10 minutes about it. I don’t think it was supposed to be funny. I also felt like the script made it feel like most of the characters were 1-sided and bland. Except for Subaru and Manabu, I really didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters. This whole time, we’re lead to believe that they everyone just wants to live together and be kids again, but they don’t share any connection except their powers. The only rational choice made by anyone was at the end when Momo realized that she didn’t like Subaru’s clan and left. Watase (Tsuyoshi Ihara) was so terrible and cold that I started rooting for him at a certain point.
I think this film had a lot going for it, too. I did like the philosophy of life that it talked about. The idea that you have to make your own mark on the world instead of having someone do it for you. I need to be the “captain of my soul” to make something of my life (Henley). Mewtwo also said, “the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant… it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are”. I think that both quotes fit well into this film. Each faction was born from different circumstances that they can’t control nor ever will. They don’t fit in, but they have to find a way to stick together and understand the life that they’re given. Subaru really struggles with this until the end of the film at what I think is a normal amount of time for one to contemplate the existential struggle. I think each character, in their own right, was dealing with this struggle for their powers.
Overall, I had fun in the film. Aside from some pacing issues and poor script writing, I thought it was a neat idea. The powers were the best part and I enjoyed the existential questions that followed. I wish some of the character development was a little stronger and there was little more chemistry between the cast, but I really did enjoy the film. It’s an enjoyable flick if you just want to see some nice action for a couple hours.
Score: 5 out of 10
