Avalon (2001) Sci-fi, Action, Drama
Directed by Mamoru Oshii
Starring Malgorzata Foremniak
My general impression of the film was very good. This was my second time watching it, and I found my appreciation for the film to have grown. It’s cool, stylish, and artistic with meaningful content besides action and an attractive female lead. My first impression was that the special effects looked low budget. I still get that impression a bit, but if they are then I think Oshii did very well with what he had to work with. Once I gave the movie a real chance I quickly learned to appreciate it, and after my second watch I liked it even more.
One of
Avalon‘s strongest points was it’s visuals. “…state-of-the-art visual effects in the stunning style of The Matrix,” and “with awe-inspiring visuals,” claimed the back of the case. I didn’t agree with “state-of-the-art,” but the visuals were quite good in other ways. Most of the film was shot in this sort of desaturated state of yellow and brown. It almost seemed black and white, but I could still see the redness in a piece of raw meat, orange in an explosion, flesh tone in skin, and other colors. Combined with the pace and atmosphere, the coloring gave an almost film-noir kind of feel like an old detective movie. When characters died in the game they turned 2D and sliced apart, shattered, or dissolved in rings. It was interesting, but far from “state-of-the-art.”
I’m not sure how I feelt about the cinematography. I didn’t pay particular attention to it while watching, but I did recall some shots standing out to me. I particularly liked the shot of her in the chair the first time she logged out of the game. At the same time though, that scene was way too obviously borrowed from Ghost in the Shell and The Matrix. I kind of forgive that because Oshii did direct the Ghost in the Shell movie, and Ghost in the Shell was one of the more prominent influences for The Matrix, but I’m not sure how much to forgive since Ghost in the Shell wasn’t his original work to begin with, but an adaptation of the manga. The point is that
Avalon was a bit lacking in originality, but that shot of her in the chair was still an excellent shot. I just didn’t get the impression throughout the film of the cinematography being exceptional. Beyond certain shots I think the cinematography was adequate, but not special. I would have to watch it again and look at the cinematography more intentionally to get a more reliable understanding.
The last set of visual aspects I want to focus on are the costumes, props, and sets. The costumes were great. Ash, the Bishop, the cyphers, and some other characters had really cool aesthetics. I loved Ash’s mask, goggles, and cape when she was in the game. If she wasn’t the greatest player to ever play the game, she was certainly the most stylish. Outside of the game I thought the way they contrasted her look with a trench coat and glasses was a really good choice. I didn’t get a strong impression from all of the costumes though. Pretty much the same principle could apply to the props and sets. As far as the props were concerned they just didn’t seem consistent in their setting. Only certain things were futuristic like the computer screens, datacards, goggles, and equipment used for logging into the game. Other props were just straight from modern time like the furniture, or old-fashioned like the street cars from the 50’s. I don’t know how much of it was intentional, but I got the impression it was partly out of necessity due to budget constraints. The sets in-game were mostly ruins and battle scarred terrain, and outside of the game it was like East Berlin when the wall was up, or something equally depressing. I never really understood the poverty that plagued the world. It seemed to me like just a little bit more needed to be said about it. I barely felt any futuristic vibes from the sets. The closest were the rooms for logging in. The city infrastructure wasn’t even the slightest bit futuristic.
The plot was one of the stronger elements. It moved at a measured pace, as often by what was not said as by what was said. Ash, played by Foremniak, was the complete focal point and driving force. The story revolved around a mysterious higher level within the game that at first existed only in rumor. Eventually even the nature of reality came into question. I was really captivated by the story, and it helped me overlook the minor setbacks I already mentioned.
The acting was good, but not reaching for any awards. The thief character was considerably weaker than the rest of the cast. In terms of directing I did notice some minor details that made me arc a brow. In one scene Ash has bare feet, and then in the next scene with no explanation she suddenly has shoes on. There is a significant cut, but I still would have liked some explanation. She didn’t exactly have enough room in her tiny purse for the pair of shoes. Attention to those kind of details are one thing I look for from a director.
A little more consistent acting and attention to detail are really in the director’s hands, and if they had been done this truly could have been a great film. As it stands it’s still a very good film with an excellent story and a considerable amount of charm and visual appeal. This review was quite critical, but I actually loved the movie. Ash was a fascinating character, and the pace and atmosphere were enthralling. I would recommend this movie to anyone. I think just about everybody would actually enjoy it no matter what their taste.
Avalon will probably make my top 100 favorite films.
Acting
Directing
Cinematography
Story and Plot
Character Design and Development
Visuals
Special Effects
Style and Charm
Dialogue
Sci-fi Elements
Overall
I originally wrote this on my blog idioticmechanicalpidgeon.wordpress.com.