Review of Afro Samurai: Resurrection (2009) by Jesse B — 02 Apr 2012

Blood, Blades,Bones,and Broken Hearts?what does it all have in common?

Behold the man with the numba 1 headband. Who is he? What has he become?

A slave to his own title. A prisoner to his own power.

He must kill those who seek to take his claim. The headband is what everyone desires.

He won?t allow them to get their hands on it.

Afro is certainly not a fairy tale film.

By now I?m sure the general public has become aware of how dark and violent anime can be, so this should be no surprise. ,the level of bloodshed and brutality. In fact it spills so much blood it ranks right up there with the cult classic Ninja Scroll which set the bar for.

Mature content and hardcore graphic violence.

Afro is a man who has to deal with the intense pain of his past as well as his survival for the future in a world that looks at him as a cold blooded killer. On the inside Afro is a man who just wants peace and acceptance but he is forced to walk the path or retribution.

When it comes to stylization, AS is a movie packed with extreme and dynamic layers of brilliantly animated sequences. Moves that look like a combination of flawless dance steps, and whirlwind kung fu, fly through the screen begging you not to blink, not even for a second. With blazing speed faster than lighting, and intensity to match, AS is an amazing display of physicality meets fiction.

I really feel that this movie goes beyond what people consider a creative sword fight, and takes it to a level previously unexceptable.

The story is a mash up of people and events from Afro?s controversial past. Everyone is out for vengeance and will stop at nothing short of mass murder to get their satisfaction.

The plot of this film, continues from the shows conclusion and manages to capture the same vibe, while also increasing the overall scale and scope of the AS universe.

The villains are so wicked and tortured it?s clear that they deserve absolutely no mercy, which is why you won?t feel sorry for them if they get sliced and diced into a million little pieces. In fact you?ll be praying to witness such an event.

Afro on the other hand, your cant help but feel sorry for, there is nothing but death and hatred in his life. His emotions buried so deep within his soul, they may never escape.

His silent nature proves his inner conflict. His spiritual guide, the character know as Ninja Ninja returns to his role of Afro?s conscience, friend, and perhaps unlikely mentor, furthermore, he provides any and all comic relief, voiced of course by the talented Samuel L Jackson who also reprises his role as AS.

Character designs look interesting and uniquely cutting edge, well drawn and depicted to the tee, each personality animates they way you?d expect it to judging by their appearance.

The narration tends to lean itself more toward a poetic side, yet it?s not too vague, that it fails give you a decent back story and explanations.

I?ll say it once again this movie shows absolutely no mercy and delivers one of the most cut throat tales I?ve ever witnessed.

Adding to mix is a well crafted blend of hip hop and rap music, providing the tempo and mood for each thrilling scene. It?s well placed, well balanced and quite enjoyable.

The movie only works as an anime, which means it?s a world where just about anything unexpected, and seemingly unbelievable has to be accepted, that?s just due to the extreme nature of such a story. So in other words, suspend your beliefs and check your doubts at the door, just go with it. Trust me, you?ll enjoy it better.

That?s not to say the writing is inconsistent or contains loopholes. It?s a well thought out and finely executed production.

If you enjoyed the tv series and felt like it ended all too suddenly, this should be the encore you?ve been wishing for. Its cool, it?s cruel, and it?s Afro Samurai at its finest.