Critical
Happy luck of the spell. This month, we can count on two adaptations of manga from my youth to the cinema. Nicky Larson and Philippe Lacheau’s Cupid’s Perfume and the film of the day, Alita: Battle Angel by Robert Rodriguez. Both also share the peculiarity that I have never read the mangas they adapt.
Gunnm? Not know.
From the manga Gunnm (translated into Alita: Battle Angel in the States, and this is the name that has curiously remained international), I just remember, when I was at the bookseller, to have several times hesitated to buy a volume. But at the time, I had only fifteen francs a month as pocket money, so it was either the new volume of Dragon Ball or Gunnm. No way, I was too much fan of Sangoku and his friends to betray them.
I hear some people tell me that I could have read them softly. Impossible, already the mangas were presented at the checkout just under the nose of the bookseller and in addition, the latter saw with a bad eye my multiple round trips in the day to read the walkthrough of a video game where I was blocked. It was great to work on memory. Blow of the bowl, these walkways were in the radius of the bottom safe from his demonic gaze. In short, it was the story of my only contact with Yukito Kishiro’s manga series.
Abandoned by his dad, James Cameron
All that to say that before the feature film, Gunnm was neither hot nor cold. That I do not know anything about it. By extension (logic), I would not judge the quality of adaptation. I was just excited for years to discover this film adaptation because James Cameron was attached to it. James Cameron + Cyberpunk, it was likely to move. When the project was taken over by Robert Rodriguez because Cameron preferred to focus on the consequences of Avatar, I lost interest. At least, as the director of diptych Sin City, a diptych besides the image of his career (capable of better or worse), was recovering a project already very rich by the father of Terminator, so we should feel his touch .
Silky cyberpunk
In discovering the final coil, this is clearly the case. One would think sometimes that it is him who realized it. Nevertheless, the Rodriguez added his touch especially for the atmosphere of the film which is reminiscent of Mexico: cyberpunk silty, I want to say. Basically, I liked the atmosphere even if I’m not a fan of Mexican visual style. At least it’s alive. Not like some movies where you get the impression that the actors are walking in a dead city. Ghost in the Shell with ScarJo is for you! On the other hand, from time to time one has to turn a blind eye to the encrustations of actors in digital sets or forced environments. For this last point, I especially in mind when Alita, the heroine, enters for the first time in the stadium where the motorball is played. The reactions of the audience around her sounded so wrong for my taste.
Amourette teen … but why?
Another funny thing about Alita: Battle Angel, it lasts two hours, I had the impression that it lasted thirty minutes more. The fault of too much exposure, but especially to a teenage love that has inflated me. In the film, Alita shares two strong relationships, the first with her savior, Dr. Ido played by Christoph Waltz, and the second with Hugo (Keean Johnson). If the first made me vibrate, especially because, brothel, Christoph Waltz, he is excellent whatever he does. The second bothered me not possible. All the clichés of the love pass there. I do not know how it is in the manga, but it’s really a pity.
Deep in the cyberpunk delirium
I was all the more annoyed because the rest was not at this level. Fights, if not taking, are at least thoroughly delirious. Heads are beheaded, members torn off and so on. The advantage of playing with cyborgs is that it passes level censorship. As for the motorball, it goes to the bottom of the box, always in the same register. Still, I have never really managed to be seized. There is nothing particularly taking since it is at all digital. Regarding the dramaturgy of the action, it’s pretty flat. There is nothing new too. Everything breathes the already seen. But be careful and I insist, it’s still cool to follow. Same observation for the look of cyborgs, overall, it’s generous and it tears (I love the back of Zapan) even if I regret that the real face incrustations sometimes make the whole thing pitch.
A large bay window on the soul
Finally, let’s move on to Alita’s number one asset: Battle Angel. In addition to allowing the discovery of the beautiful Jennifer Connelly lingerie. Simply, Alita. Behind her, lies the actress Rosa Salazar in motion capture. So, frankly when you look at Alita’s picture, you say … Thin, those eyes … Those damn eyes! Ridi
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