Steamboy, the long-awaited follow-up from the Director of Akira, features stunning animation and exciting action, but fails to surprise.
Given that Steamboy follows the well-worn Japanese path of exploring the issues surrounding power – who controls it, who should it benefit, how should it be used, and what does it mean? – is it different or interesting in its own right? Yes, and no. The drama, played out within the Steam family, Grandfather, son and grandson, is at times interesting, but also at times a little unbelievable. There is no real sense of the family bond, and this sometimes feels artificial.
What does work is the animation – it is earth-shatteringly good. The Triplets of Belleville featured a certain style, with deliberately muted colours, but gorgeous backgrounds, and Steamboy is similar in many ways. The colours are dark and foreboding, but the settings, the skies particularly, are absolutely incredible. It is almost impossible to accept they are animations, they are so beautiful.
There are moments of humour, a few real laughs, but also a darkness and menace. The depictions of the arms race, and the clamouring generals of the worlds armies is spot on.
Steamboy is very enjoyable, if a little repetitive, with the philosophical points being really drummed in, but certainly worth seeing, if only for the skies.