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While adapting an epic
story of humanity and morality in the hostility of war, Kazuaki
Kiriya’s Casshern presents the social and political turmoil
of a post-apocalyptic world, as well as the ravaging of visual clarity.
What works in the freedom of anime and graphic novels is heavily
restricted in the world of live action, and too clearly a conflict
of imagery and action steps to the forefront of this creatively
flawed endeavor.
A 50-year war has left the planet a devastated and dying world and the Eastern Federation has risen to power in an attempt to restore order, though covert political machinations rapidly work to overthrow its foundation. Employed by a corrupt military organization, Dr. Kotaro Azuma (Akira Terao) tirelessly works in genetics with the ulterior motive to find a cure for his dying wife, and in the process discovers the revolutionary Neo-Cells and the ability to synthesize living organs. After a freak accident in Azuma’s lab causes the creation of sentient life and the reincarnation of his dead son Tetsuya (Yusuke Iseya), a new battle begins as the outcast lifeforms (dubbed Neo-Sapiens) wage war on mankind and all hope of survival rests on the shoulders of Tetsuya (renamed Casshern), a post-apocalyptic superhero encased in indestructible armor. Abandoning conventional narrative and relying solely on the fateful
definition of “Casshern” in the film’s opening
text, those who forget the cryptic message will likely be lost
to the superhero’s paranormal creation. Replete with mystical
reincarnation, afterlife ghosts, mutant zombies, and robot armies,
everything presented in Kiriya’s film is so fantastical
that attempting to understand gives way to simple acceptance that
anything can happen in this futuristic world. Unexplained phenomena
becomes commonplace and the visuals accept responsibility for
storytelling, which might have been a worthy replacement had the
imagery adhered to more recognizable guidelines. |
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For a film submersed
in special effects and computer-generated graphics, the overall
look of Casshern is surprisingly jarring and inconsistently ranges
from awe-inspiring to distracting. The environments rapidly and
drastically change in appearance from bright greens and blues to
reds and even black and white. Several interior shots are presented
in such arresting red and green that it appears to require a pair
of 3D glasses to properly view. Often the still images provide more
admirable qualities than the moving ones and the gritty, grainy
film treatments intermittently work to create a mood and mask underachieving
special effects. The action sequences (which parallel the progression
of video game boss fights) are feverishly complex and contain an
infinite supply of quick cuts, spastic editing, and x-ray image
splicing. Rarely does the camera slow down enough for the eye to
comprehend, let alone appreciate, any aesthetic arrangement or design,
and while the frenetic fights borrow cues from The Matrix, it also
makes the sci-fi actioner look like perfectly-paced reality.
Sticking closely to the realm of comic book superheroes, the origins of Casshern are quite creative, if not a little cliché, and involve biological reincarnation with the added bonus of an enhanced body and invincible armor. With such an inspired superhero conception, allowing the villains to partake in this fortunate creation would theoretically provide the perfectly matched antagonist. But without the accepted divine intervention supporting the protagonist, the Neo-Sapiens inception feels muddied and unrealistic (which is saying something, considering the delicate thread that holds realism together throughout the story). And if the bizarre adversary development wasn’t unbelievable enough, the aimless trek through snow-covered mountains that lands the anti-humans upon Europa’s not-quite-dormant robot army will certainly hammer the last nail into the coffin of reality. When science fiction fails in cohesive presentation, it’s not necessarily the ideas that are to blame, but rather the method (or shortcomings) of the storytelling. Fans of this hybrid genre will undoubtedly find many aspects of Casshern to appreciate, and while there is definitely a style to behold (Kiriya’s background in music videos both hinders and supports this assertation), connoisseurs of the medium will find copious faults with both visuals and story, though much of the latter may be blamed on the truncation of the US release. - Joel Massie |