ALARIS' REVIEWS

14th July 2009
Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina (2007)

Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina is a science fiction, CGI animated film which delivers pure John Woo action to the max. Cheesy? Sometimes. Awesome? Hell yeah!

Set in 2199, Earth is a futuristic utopia where humans, cyborgs, and artificially engineered humans (bioroids) coexist in as much harmony as people can. Deunan (human) is a soldier in a crack global security force, ES.W.A.T, working alongside her best friend and partner, Brialeos (used to be human before a near fatal accident led to him being recreated as almost entirely cyborg). Sinister forces collude, dramatic threats rear their heads, and ethical dilemmas arise in emotionally complicated ways. But really, the plot is just a bonus.

I actually wasn't hugely impressed with the original Appleseed (2004), which I watched around the same time as Ghost in the Shell II: Innocence (2004). While Appleseed had extremely impressive CGI visuals, the characters lacked warmth, and the emotional stakes never quite hit their mark. On the other hand, Ghost in the Shell II: Innocence was poignant, eerie, and delivered an emotional kicker of a plot reveal. Not to mention the eye bleedingly stunning parade scene.

However, Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina rectifies all the shortcomings of its predecessor in explosive Woo style. Legendary Hong Kong action director John Woo co-produced this sequel, and his fingerprints are all over it. Doves. Abandoned churches. Double gun action. Amen.

You don't need to watch the first movie to thoroughly enjoy the second. The plot is quickly engaging, the characters easily likeable, their emotional stakes intense, and the action absolutely extravagant.

There are so many things I like about this movie. The character designs are beautiful, from fantastic clothes to fabulous hair - every character is delightfully distinctive, reminiscent of games like Final Fantasy VII. The animation is impressive, and the world is wonderfully futuristic, with the tone more fantasy than acid rain. The presence of strong female leads, with no overt fan service, is also a major plus for me. And of course, the combat action is a cross between Tsui Hark (Hong Kong wirework master) and Tekken (needs no introduction) - the moves are ridiculous, but that doesn't mean they're not rocking super cool.

Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina combines cool action and human drama with philosophical questions about what it means to be human, and what connects us to the people we care about.

Verdict: A fun, action packed science fiction movie, for those who enjoy buckets of melodrama, and don't mind a little uncanny valley.

If you like Ghost in the Shell II: Innocence (2004), you might like this.