Review of Alita: Battle Angel (2019) by Bowtop — 14 Feb 2019

We've come a long way in terms of CGI. In 2009 avatar impressed audiences with its spectacular visual achievements while also criticised for weak story and poor dialogue. It is a shame then that while CGI continues to improve the stories that often occumpany these big flashy movies do not. Alita is a film adaption of a Japanese manga book, Admittedly, one I have no experience with, I have consumed others such as ghost in the shell, so their nature is not a complete mystery to me but I had not heard of Alita until the film was announced. The best a film can do for me in this scenario is get me excited for the world its set on and the characters involved. So much so that I am yearning to go back and read the source material. In this the film succeeds, the brief glimpses we get of Alitas back story and the world surrounding her are exciting and interesting. The urge to learn more about this world is built up but never rewarded in the film. It's a shame then that the film is constistant at pulling us away from these engaging back stories and into the films present day in which the story is par for the course and seems very menial. We get the feeling that the most interesting part of the story has already happened and we missed it. Instead we are trying to get invested in a teenage girls day to day activities in a town we don't know enough about.

The characters and the visual representation is the films strong point. Alita is show as a deadly warrior that holds a certain fear in people who know what she is. The action portray this well as she zips around and tackles beings multiple times her size. The CGI is some of the best you will see. Alita her is the definition of uncanny Valley. Every close up of her expressions and movement is a sight to behold. Acted out very well we see alita angry, sad, frantic, happy, excited, nervous... Just about every emotion and they are all portrayed very well. Alita is a fun ride with impressive CGI and good characters. The story is slow and does nothing to surprise and feels like it grinds to halt In multiple areas. The film teases enough of a world and story that will leave alot of people asking for a sequel and I would be first in line to see it.