(rated PG-13, 98 mins.)
Limited release
May I suggest a good dose of medication, er drugs, before seeing this grown-up Japanese animated story. It’s 1999, the Year of Destiny (Armageddon in cartoon form), and the future lies in the hands of Kamui Shiro, who must chose between the Dragons of Earth or the Dragons of Heaven.This is done with as much dreamy sword throwing as laboring dialog. It was amazing to watch them stop in mid-battle to carry on a conversation. The guys in the story look like they stepped off the cover of GQ with tossled bangs and Boss suits. Shiro’s mother who advises him of life’s choices, arrives on the scene like a cross between Elvira and a Playmate of the Month. This made me uneasy in trusting her judgement on what’s best for the universe.
Limited release
May I suggest a good dose of medication, er drugs, before seeing this grown-up Japanese animated story. It’s 1999, the Year of Destiny (Armageddon in cartoon form), and the future lies in the hands of Kamui Shiro, who must chose between the Dragons of Earth or the Dragons of Heaven.This is done with as much dreamy sword throwing as laboring dialog. It was amazing to watch them stop in mid-battle to carry on a conversation. The guys in the story look like they stepped off the cover of GQ with tossled bangs and Boss suits. Shiro’s mother who advises him of life’s choices, arrives on the scene like a cross between Elvira and a Playmate of the Month. This made me uneasy in trusting her judgement on what’s best for the universe.
The animation is loud (think “Star Wars” meets the “Matrix” in a cartoon) and the simple, boring story line is only saved by raging strobe lights and effects.