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Appleseed: Alpha (Dub) Status: COMPLETE
Movie
At that point it makes me wonder why Deunan's even in the military if she's outstripped by most men and machines. Why is she there if not to be just be a pretty face?
Well, we haven't got to Appleseed: Alpha just yet, so that remains to be seen.
Well, we haven't got to Appleseed: Alpha just yet, so that remains to be seen.
Movie
I slammed Appleseed: Alpha's choice to change Deunan's outfit and I stand by that criticism. It's a stupid worthless nonsensical change and exists for no other reason than to have Deunan's **** hangin' out the whole movie, THAT'S ALL. It's a cheap attempt to sell a movie on sex appeal and it utterly destroyed any positive expectations I had for this movie.
I was wrong to write it off though.
Because despite the risky retcon prequel setting/visual overhaul, it actually turned out to be a pretty good romp with the characters I enjoyed so much from the first movie.
To correct my misinterpretation, I simply assumed based on the costume change that we were going to feminize Deunan even further from Appleseed: Ex Machina and enter full-on stripper mode. I guess I'm just jaded like that, but I wouldn't have been the slightest bit surprised if we were treated to a shower scene, or a prolonged shot of her pulling on her panties, or literally any other kind of unnecessary sexualization beyond what the poster implies.
In actuality, Deunan doesn't seem to be sexualized in any way beyond her outfit and save the opening pan across her cleavage at the beginning of the movie, we're nearly altogether sexless all throughout it. We have one ass shot in near total darkness and we have an offhand reference about how Deunan would have to "turn tricks" if she hadn't become a merc, but that's literally it. I can't think of any other parts of the movie where she was objectified or denigrated for being a woman.
Her in-field partnership with Briar is even better emphasized in this movie than either of the previous ones too when she's specifically referred to as being "smaller and faster" than Briar. Their typical combat strategies were implied if not explicitly shown in the previous movies, but here we see that Deunan goes in to do the dirty work, while Briar supports from a distance with intel and sniper fire.
I was wrong to write it off though.
Because despite the risky retcon prequel setting/visual overhaul, it actually turned out to be a pretty good romp with the characters I enjoyed so much from the first movie.
To correct my misinterpretation, I simply assumed based on the costume change that we were going to feminize Deunan even further from Appleseed: Ex Machina and enter full-on stripper mode. I guess I'm just jaded like that, but I wouldn't have been the slightest bit surprised if we were treated to a shower scene, or a prolonged shot of her pulling on her panties, or literally any other kind of unnecessary sexualization beyond what the poster implies.
In actuality, Deunan doesn't seem to be sexualized in any way beyond her outfit and save the opening pan across her cleavage at the beginning of the movie, we're nearly altogether sexless all throughout it. We have one ass shot in near total darkness and we have an offhand reference about how Deunan would have to "turn tricks" if she hadn't become a merc, but that's literally it. I can't think of any other parts of the movie where she was objectified or denigrated for being a woman.
Her in-field partnership with Briar is even better emphasized in this movie than either of the previous ones too when she's specifically referred to as being "smaller and faster" than Briar. Their typical combat strategies were implied if not explicitly shown in the previous movies, but here we see that Deunan goes in to do the dirty work, while Briar supports from a distance with intel and sniper fire.
Furthermore, Briar's physical limits are more clearly portrayed. At peak he can leap long distances while carrying Deunan and he can even flip a truck, but he has a tendency to run himself ragged before seeking help and this is when he needs to lean on Deunan for support which I just LOVE, thank you for this.
Briar's personality fits into a good notch between Appleseeds 1 and 2 where he talks when it's called for, but he's far from sociable. He's even more distinctly differentiated from Deunan for being a realist/pessimist while Deunan's an idealist/optimist. It's established right away that this is what attracts him to her, but Deunan and Briar's intimate relationship seems to be more on the backburner on this one since we don't give the details of their relationship much attention beyond a "I love him" kinda thing.
I think that kinda sucks, but since we're trading out the stupid dress parties for seeing these two work together in the field like they're traditionally expected to, I'm cool with it.
The fact that they're in a post-war dead zone again is attributed to a massive retcon the movie pulls which rewrites the events of the first Appleseed. Instead of being extracted to Olympus city and THEN meeting Briar in his cyborg body for the first time, Briar's already a cyborg and he and Deunan are still mercs doing post-war cleanup in an environment where territory is effectively divided up by gangs.
The whole theme of the movie is hope which comes in the form of rumors of Olympus city. Olympus city isn't simply a place neither of our heroes have visited, it's fairy tale, one which Deunan wants to believe, but Briar doubts exists.
This theme is easily the weakest thread in this finely knit sweater of a movie since scenes where the characters go back and forth about "having something to fight for" or "dying for what you believe in" are some of the most boring-ass cliched **** you'll ever hear.
Considering this level of cheese is far from new to Appleseed movies at this point, it's still worth pointing out that it's easily the least predictable of the movies as well so there isn't as much chugging through dialog just waiting for the inevitable plot bumps, plus, I have to say, the dialog is mostly pretty interesting in regards to how it manages the multiple tasks of world-building, character development, and exposition.
Briar's personality fits into a good notch between Appleseeds 1 and 2 where he talks when it's called for, but he's far from sociable. He's even more distinctly differentiated from Deunan for being a realist/pessimist while Deunan's an idealist/optimist. It's established right away that this is what attracts him to her, but Deunan and Briar's intimate relationship seems to be more on the backburner on this one since we don't give the details of their relationship much attention beyond a "I love him" kinda thing.
I think that kinda sucks, but since we're trading out the stupid dress parties for seeing these two work together in the field like they're traditionally expected to, I'm cool with it.
The fact that they're in a post-war dead zone again is attributed to a massive retcon the movie pulls which rewrites the events of the first Appleseed. Instead of being extracted to Olympus city and THEN meeting Briar in his cyborg body for the first time, Briar's already a cyborg and he and Deunan are still mercs doing post-war cleanup in an environment where territory is effectively divided up by gangs.
The whole theme of the movie is hope which comes in the form of rumors of Olympus city. Olympus city isn't simply a place neither of our heroes have visited, it's fairy tale, one which Deunan wants to believe, but Briar doubts exists.
This theme is easily the weakest thread in this finely knit sweater of a movie since scenes where the characters go back and forth about "having something to fight for" or "dying for what you believe in" are some of the most boring-ass cliched **** you'll ever hear.
Considering this level of cheese is far from new to Appleseed movies at this point, it's still worth pointing out that it's easily the least predictable of the movies as well so there isn't as much chugging through dialog just waiting for the inevitable plot bumps, plus, I have to say, the dialog is mostly pretty interesting in regards to how it manages the multiple tasks of world-building, character development, and exposition.
The story itself seems almost like a love letter to the series almost like what you would get if you played Halo 3 first before Halo 2.
In Halo 3 you got attacked by Scarabs constantly. They were a threat, but a threat you knew how to handle.
In Halo 2 you fight only ONE, but it's the first one you've seen and it's a monster. It's also the coolest level in that game, check it out- BUT ANYWAY...
In Appleseed: Alpha we don't have mech suits, mobile fortresses, Bioroids, or even Olympus yet. These are all NEW things, so they all get a lot of dramatic build up. When Deunan finally gets into the classic "Landmate" (that's what they call mechs) at the end of the movie, you know it's really go time. It's also appropriate that where the first Appleseed involved stopping 8 mobile fortresses, this time they struggle to destroy the first one they've ever seen.
Bioroids are also seemingly non-existent since they seem to be closely related to Olympus itself and Olympus is just a rumor. Only one character ever says the name, Bioroid, but we're never given any indication if Deunan's ever even heard of the name before. I would have appreciated a scene that expounded on that.
However since bioroids and humans comprised the vast majority of characters in previous movies, you'd think it'd be mostly human characters this time, but instead we have many uniquely designed cyborg characters all of which look good and and some of which look great.
I was immediately fond of the well-animated cyborg character, Two Horns, who serves as Briar's employer and I liked him even more when he started talking.
In Halo 3 you got attacked by Scarabs constantly. They were a threat, but a threat you knew how to handle.
In Halo 2 you fight only ONE, but it's the first one you've seen and it's a monster. It's also the coolest level in that game, check it out- BUT ANYWAY...
In Appleseed: Alpha we don't have mech suits, mobile fortresses, Bioroids, or even Olympus yet. These are all NEW things, so they all get a lot of dramatic build up. When Deunan finally gets into the classic "Landmate" (that's what they call mechs) at the end of the movie, you know it's really go time. It's also appropriate that where the first Appleseed involved stopping 8 mobile fortresses, this time they struggle to destroy the first one they've ever seen.
Bioroids are also seemingly non-existent since they seem to be closely related to Olympus itself and Olympus is just a rumor. Only one character ever says the name, Bioroid, but we're never given any indication if Deunan's ever even heard of the name before. I would have appreciated a scene that expounded on that.
However since bioroids and humans comprised the vast majority of characters in previous movies, you'd think it'd be mostly human characters this time, but instead we have many uniquely designed cyborg characters all of which look good and and some of which look great.
I was immediately fond of the well-animated cyborg character, Two Horns, who serves as Briar's employer and I liked him even more when he started talking.
Two Horns actually has some funny dialog in the movie (particularly when his sarcasm gets him called cute and he responds by saying, "I'm always cute") and I was very pleased to see that the creators liked him too because despite playing the role of a minor antagonist and repeatedly DYING, he keeps coming back and he was welcome every time he came back on screen.
The graphics in general are obviously a massive change from the original two movies with attention obviously placed on photorealism. As much as I still prefer the improved cel-shading from Ex Machina, this was still very well done. There were only three distinctly human-looking characters in the whole movie and none of them fell into the uncanny valley which is always a risk with photorealistic CG characters.
We don't get the complicated machinery animations we got in the first Appleseed, but in general I really can't complain. What they did they did very well.
The graphics in general are obviously a massive change from the original two movies with attention obviously placed on photorealism. As much as I still prefer the improved cel-shading from Ex Machina, this was still very well done. There were only three distinctly human-looking characters in the whole movie and none of them fell into the uncanny valley which is always a risk with photorealistic CG characters.
We don't get the complicated machinery animations we got in the first Appleseed, but in general I really can't complain. What they did they did very well.
Something not everyone may appreciate is the wubbadub soundtrack that simultaneously manages to better invoke melancholy when necessary, but also jar with sudden dance and rap numbers. The music is still appropriate for the material, but the more "modern" touch may not appeal to everyone. I didn't mind it personally, and in fact I rather prefer it over the previous movies' soundtracks, but I felt I should mention it.
Altogether there's very little I can really complain about in this movie. The story's straightforward, character motivations make sense, and the pacing is pretty steady.
The only things that really stop this movie from elevating further for me is a less interesting villain, boring side characters (except Two Horns), no reveal of Olympus, no significance lent to Bioroids, no cel-shaded faux-anime art style, Deunan's outfit, and weak theming.
I also still want to see Deunan and Briar's relationship explored deeper, we've seen how they interact in combat scenarios, but I still want to see them pushed further.
Maybe it's just high time I read the manga?
Altogether there's very little I can really complain about in this movie. The story's straightforward, character motivations make sense, and the pacing is pretty steady.
The only things that really stop this movie from elevating further for me is a less interesting villain, boring side characters (except Two Horns), no reveal of Olympus, no significance lent to Bioroids, no cel-shaded faux-anime art style, Deunan's outfit, and weak theming.
I also still want to see Deunan and Briar's relationship explored deeper, we've seen how they interact in combat scenarios, but I still want to see them pushed further.
Maybe it's just high time I read the manga?
Final Verdict: [Friggen' Awesome][Pretty Good][Meh...][Just... Bad][Irredeemably Awful]