Ultraman: El ascenso

I thought it was an alright movie. Its not very complicated and does a good job being an entertaining kids movie. It may not hold adults' attention the full way through, I personally only watched the first half before finishing the rest of the movie later while eating lunch. This was because the story is very predictable and the dialogue bland. However the animation is done well and the movie carries a good message for kids.

The main character as Ultraman didn't really intrigue me too much, but I get the sense the original Ultraman had a much different origin and I would've been interested in how the original came to be. The movie didn't really delve into that or how he got his powers. I'm assuming its all technology, but I could be wrong.

My family and I recently watched Ultraman: Rising (2024) on Netflix. The storyline follows a successful baseball player in Japan who is chosen to become the next Ultraman. As he battles a surge of monsters, he encounters a baby monster that he must care for until he can find a home for it. Meanwhile, a sinister villain emerges with a plot that threatens all of humanity.

The film is co-directed by Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima, who previously collaborated on Kubo and the Two Strings. The voice cast includes Christopher Sean (You), Tamlyn Tomita (The Day After Tomorrow), Gedde Watanabe (Sixteen Candles), and Hiro Nakamura.

This is one of those films with just enough good elements to make it worth watching, but not enough to be truly great. The animation and depiction of the universe are impressive, with both the monsters and Ultraman standing out. However, the characters were hit or miss. While I liked the hero and the villain, I wasn't as invested in the baby monster subplot. The villain's motivations were well-developed and justifiable. The "Gigantron" in the film reminded me of Rodan, and the final monster battle was solid, with a well-written resolution.

In conclusion, Ultraman: Rising features fantastic animation and enough elements of the monster universe to make it worth a watch. However, some aspects of the film, particularly the more child-oriented, cheesy moments, detract from its depth and quality. I would score this a 5.5-6/10 and only recommend it with the appropriate expectations.

Pretty good for any Ultraman fan out there, good job.

The story draws on many of the old and new things that make up the Ultraman series, the easy-going vibe, the cool fights, and most of all the simple but heartful message.

Ive seen complaints that it isnt as serious as Ultraman should be, but honestly you can have any story with this character, campy and easy-going at times like the original 66 Ultraman, more serious like Ultraseven or Nexus, or a middle point like Tiga, in the end it's still Ultraman, and I personally believe it's a great new story for possible new fans, specially because it's on such a worldwide platform like Netflix. I really hope this is the gateway for lots of new fans, I think it very well could be, and even if it isn't, it for sure told a great Ultraman story that newcomers and old fans can enjoy, on that note, go watch Ultraman Mebius I think the vibes are very similar.

-Shuwatch.

So it's a Netflix movie, keep that in mind.

But overall, this hits all the right boxes and even a few surprises. The emotional aspect is really well done and they make you care about the characters along the way.

Make sure you have seen the first one it'll be a little confusing. I appreciated the they didn't force any romance and they didn't make everything perfect for the character.

As a parent I thought they did a good job of displaying some of the difficulties that come with raising kids, especially if they sometimes act like monsters.

If you have Netflix, give this movie a shot. I think you'll like it.

I saw this movie with one of my best friends and we were commenting, pausing and rewinding the movie all the time, so many details to see, so many memorable scenes to repeat.

From the beginning the protagonist seemed charismatic to me, despite being egocentric. Although of course, later we see the reason for his attitude, and it is easy to empathize with him.

In fact, it is easy to empathize with ALL the characters.

AND THE BABY, OH MY GOD, THE BABY. SHE IS REALLY ADORABLE. Every time she appeared on the screen my heart melted.

We had a very good time watching the movie, so much so that we are now watching it a second time, to capture as many details as possible.

It has become one of my favorites. An excellent movie.