Returner

An interesting film. This sci-fi action fest possibly gets the award for the most number of rip-offs ever. There are glimpses of just about every recent science fiction movie made in Returner, from The Matrix to Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. That being said, it’s still damn entertaining.

The plot itself is nothing special. The special effects are the type that look great but never suspend disbelief. And the acting is so-so (actually the acting is very much like an anime film, so it’s hard to judge just how good or bad they are).

I had trouble not laughing when the star made his first appearance. He looks like he has in fact stepped out of the pages of a manga comic – especially the hair.

There are a couple of moments when this film truly shines, mainly at the very end. These moments seem to rise above your standard Hollywood action fare and become more spiritual in nature. In fact it’s because of these moments (rather than the action scenes) that I decided I really liked this film.

One recommendation – don’t watch the trailer before seeing the film. It shows you everything… and I mean everything.