Review of Metropolis

Metropolis (2001)
6/10
Charming approach to the Metropolis story
22 February 2011
A Japanese animation movie based on a comic by Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astroboy, that tells the story of android Tima and her human friend Kenichi in the city of Metropolis.

Metropolis shares with Astroboy some of Tezuka's themes: Father-son troublesome relationship due to the Father's rejection and unloving treatment of the son. Also very important is the presence of a great variety of old-style chunky robots and very developed humanoids who ask themselves what/who I'm I?

The animation is flamboyant and amazing regarding the settings, backgrounds, architecture and machinery, and combines 2-D and 3-D mixed with some real movie elements. Some of the scenes at the end of the movie are spectacular from a visual point of view, too.

The mood of the movie is excellent, with the creation of a retro- futuristic city very developed but impoverished and with no freedom. We have the bright city and the underworld, with different colors and styles.

The music is fantastic, also retro, with lots of Mow-Town, classic Jaz, alternating with symphonic pieces that reminded me of John Williams'.

The script, though, is a poor mix of well known sci-fi elements and characters. I found the script not engaging most of the time, not only because of the unoriginality of the same, but, above all, because of the drawing of the characters is completely childish, which barely fits with the innovative and more artistic style of the rest of the movie. Tima and Kenichi are beautifully drawn, and, being children, the style suits them, but the adults are drawn in a comical style that doesn't suit the story either. It reminded me of famous TV cartoons of the 70s!

I think it is a movie for teenagers, with elements that would suit both children and young adults. Not a movie for adults, to me.
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