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by **LOLtron** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:49 pm

Here's the review of the 2010 live action adapation of the animated series called Space Cruiser Yamato in it's home of origin - Japan and better know in the west as Starblazers - Voyage To Iskandar, the film called Space Battleship Yamato!

Credits & Solicit Info:

Takuya Kimura as Susumu Kodai

Meisa Kuroki as Yuki Mori, Black Tiger Squadron ace pilot

Review:

Space Battleship Yamato

I first must admit that I was both looking forward to this film and not. I've been a long time fan of the franchise, both in its North American incarnation as Starblazers and the original as Space Cruiser Yamato. I was pumped to see a live action remake/re-imagining when I found out about it. I was, however, also a bit fearful of a disappointing film that could have not lived up to my preferences for it.

Background

This 2010 Japanese film was largely based on the original animated television series called Space Cruiser Yamato, better know as Starblazers - Voyage To Iskandar in the West, plus the encapsulating film of the same name. Blended into the film were elements and scenes from the second film in the animated franchise Farewell Space Cruiser Yamato, aka Arrivederci Yamato. That film itself was the basis for the second series, called simply Space Cruiser Yamato II in Japan and Starblazers - The Comet Empire in the West. In Japan the franchise is held much as Star Trek is in the West. There Yamato is a nationally-themed saga that describes the human spirit in conflict with others and itself.

In the year 2194, Earth is bombarded with meteorites and planet bombs sent from an unseen alien race, called the Gamalis by humanity. Five years later, the Earth is a radioactive wasteland with the remnants of humanity living in subterranean cities of squalor. Humanity is left with only a handful of years at best as the Gamalis continue their unrelenting attacks. In 2199, the last fleet of humanity's space warships engage a fleet of Gamalis ships orbiting Mars in one last hope to change the tides of fate....

The Review

I'll get to the meat of it all. If you are a fan of the franchise, either Starblazers or Yamato, this is a must-see. If you are a fan of sci-fi adventure and action then this is for you too. You want a time killer with lots of SFX? This is it. While I watched the film, I found myself recalling and contrasting with more recent popular remake/re-imagined sci-fi franchises, such as Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. Some, such as Analyzer aka IQ9, were amazingly re-imagined, and the Gamalis themselves were heavily altered from their original form. Even some of the cast had gender changes, such as Dr. Sado aka Dr. Sane. No longer a man with a cat and bottle of sake (aka "spring water") in tow, now the doctor is a woman (but still with a cat and bottle of "spring water" in tow). Other changes included Yuki, aka Nova, going from being a RADAR operator to the squadron leader of the Black Tigers. Something very similar and just as successful a change with Starbuck. Some of the relationships have been changed, but this is for the betterment of the film. The most important elements of the Kodai/Wildstar relationship with Akito, aka Avatar, are intact, as is the very important romance of Kodai/Wildstar with Yuki/Nova.

The sets were changed, yet still reminiscent of the classic look while providing a more realistic sense, much like Battlestar Galactica and the Stargate franchises did with their own. It seemed everything fit in the ship. The only element that remained unchanged was the music, and this helped make so many scenes work with that familiarity so wanted by any fan. The SFX were on par with any North American or European show now in production, not to mention many another movie out there. The Yamato, aka Argo, looked just as it did in the animation but with the expected extra details available with CG. It was gorgeous and with the music, brought all the nostalgia together perfectly while providing something fresh. The battle scenes were good and easy to follow. The major firefight slobber knockers of the animation was still here, with fighter craft scenes that rival anything out there now that hasn't had Star Wars as its title.

The film is ultimately a very dark one, especially with the addition of the Farewell Yamato scenes, the last of which I think was unintentionally reminiscent of Star Trek. Mind you, the animation predates that movie, so it's more than forgivable. The old plot motive is still there but due to the re-imagining, now works smoothly and the extra added plot twist thrown in is a good one.

It's a film worth checking out at any of the festivals that are bound to AND should carry it. It really deserves to be released in the West as it's just as good as so many films that do come out, and better than many of them. Pity it was only a one shot film, but it helped make it work that much more. Its $23 million budget, a small amount for an American film, shows it was a major film for Japan with that price tag.

One last thing, do not run away once the credits begin to roll and Steven Tyler begins to croon. You'll miss a great payoff to all the darkness in the film.

Review by: Cat-Scratch

http://173.199.169.70/index.php/reviews/entertainment-reviews/15424-movie-review-space-battleship-yamato.html/

by **Victorian Squid** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:04 pm

How can I see it?

by **Cat-Scratch** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:09 pm

Mike Mercury wrote:How can I see it?

Keep an eye out for it at international film festivals, anime cons showing films, and also Japanese rental places.

Generally around now and until about October, up here in Canada, several cities have film festivals where it will most likely play. Some are international others are Asian based only.
Watch your local papers closely.

Also, if you cannot find a Japanese rental place, check a Japanese food mart as many have rentals as well.

I'm hoping that with enough interest, someone will try getting it out in general release or even tv play on a sci-fi or cartoon channel.

by **Victorian Squid** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:37 pm

What?!

Bought a copy.

by **Cat-Scratch** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:49 pm

It's working!

by **Victorian Squid** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:00 pm

Not going in any Japanese groceries anymore, as far as I'm concerned now that wasabi is bright green because it's probably radioactive.

by **Cat-Scratch** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:03 pm

Mike Mercury wrote:Not going in any Japanese groceries anymore, as far as I'm concerned now that wasabi is bright green because it's probably radioactive.

I know a person who called it something like, "green toothpaste of death".

by **Benderbrau** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:35 pm

This review is meh. It doesn't talk about the movie at all. Merely how it compares to the cartoon which is a useless reference to anyone except fanboys. All I got from this movie review was that C-S loved the cartoon. That some characters were changed from the cartoon. Which scenes were borrowed from the cartoon. And how much the sets changed or didn't from the cartoon. But we're told that if we're fans of sci-fi then this movie is for us. Huh? Why? It doesn't even talk about the acting? Who were the actors? I assume it was a Japanese cast amirite? Was it dubbed or subtitled? What about the costumes? Most importantly what was the quality of the acting? :smt102

by **Doc Jon** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:06 am

I'll definitely try to find this.

by **Oshawott_Is_Dead** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:24 am

If you want a copy, this guy has it....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Space-Battleshi ... 4aae2afb9c

by **Cat-Scratch** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:23 pm

Bender... always busting balls...Also, I see you glossed over the background...But for you -Big space battles!Hot Girl!Robot!Aliens being evil!Sex!Space ships!Big gun!Not made by JJ Abrahms or Michael Bey!Lots of Death!Hot Girl!Drinking!Guns, lots of guns!Hot Girl!

by **Benderbrau** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:26 pm

Cat-Scratch wrote:Bender... always busting balls...Also, I see you glossed over the background...But for you -Big space battles!Hot Girl!Robot!Aliens being evil!Sex!Space ships!Big gun!Not made by JJ Abrahms or Michael Bey!Lots of Death!Hot Girl!Drinking!Guns, lots of guns!Hot Girl!

What? I'm serious. There's no mention of the acting or actors at all. Or the pacing of the story or anything. And now I don't see any mention of tits so now I'm doubly pissed.

by **Cat-Scratch** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:33 pm

Benderbrau wrote:What? I'm serious. There's no mention of the acting or actors at all. Or the pacing of the story or anything. And now I don't see any mention of tits so now I'm doubly pissed.

All the actors are Japanese, which is obvious giving the opening to the whole review.
The acting is typical for a Japanese production, which opens a whole can of beans I was not about to open for this. Not worth it. The pacing was good, no slow moments. There are no tits, but behind a tight shirt or jacket. Since that's your main focus, then the review was good enough for you as all I really needed to write was - "There are tits, but no nekkid ones. Things go boom. Hot girl, but tits only in tight shirt."

by **Strict31** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:44 pm

Cat-Scratch wrote:
All the actors are Japanese, which is obvious giving the opening to the whole review.
The acting is typical for a Japanese production, which opens a whole can of beans I was not about to open for this. Not worth it. The pacing was good, no slow moments. There are no tits, but behind a tight shirt or jacket. Since that's your main focus, then the review was good enough for you as all I really needed to write was - "There are tits, but no nekkid ones. Things go boom. Hot girl, but tits only in tight shirt."

I guess it's a can of sticky beans (natto)...that's one of the most disgusting foods I've ever seen on the original Iron Chef...But yeah, it's hard for me to gauge Japanese performances, with very few exceptions, because the cultural differences are extreme. What might be considered a good performance in one country's film industry might be avoided in the other's.

Plus...I don't goddamn understand Japanese! I couldn't tell if they're speaking their lines believably because I don't know what in the fuck they're saying without looking at the subtitles. And if I'm focused on the subtitles, I'm not really focusing that much on the actors.

by **Cat-Scratch** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:56 pm

Strict31 wrote:
I guess it's a can of sticky beans (natto)...that's one of the most disgusting foods I've ever seen on the original Iron Chef...But yeah, it's hard for me to gauge Japanese performances, with very few exceptions, because the cultural differences are extreme. What might be considered a good performance in one country's film industry might be avoided in the other's.

Exactly. Hence why I didn't bother. As for those beans, they're basically rotten beans... I've a friend who eats them at Japanese places. He likes them.

Strict31 wrote:Plus...I don't goddamn understand Japanese! I couldn't tell if they're speaking their lines believably because I don't know what in the fuck they're saying without looking at the subtitles. And if I'm focused on the subtitles, I'm not really focusing that much on the actors.

This as well. In addition, the dialog spoken in Japanese may sound great and the right amount of drama, but more like something George Lucas wrote if said out loud in English.

The cultural divide affects those factors for the film, so I skipped over them. BUT the acting is acceptable and not much different then any of the horror flicks like Ring that have come over in recent years. The story is clear enough to enjoy past all that as well.

I left a good deal out as it was suggested to do so as to not spoil the movie for people.
Plus, if you are cold to foreign cinema to begin with, why bother reading the review?

I could have written out a full synopsis with the review, but then, why watch it? I've no problems with those, but others.. many, do seem to.