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Honestly, I didn't even know what the movie was about when I imported it from Japan; just that the cover looked cool. Let me tell you: this is a must-see. It starts out as a bouncy comedy; you can't really help but side with the robbers when everything goes horribly wrong. It's funny, the cinematography is great, the action is great and funny too. However, like most foreign films, there's a twist ending. I won't say any more since it might give it away but it's worth buying just to see it. The soundtrack is great. Not only is it full of orchestrated pieces by Akihiko Matsumoto, but the use of popular songs like "Now I'm Here" by Queen, and classical like "Requiem" by Fauré, really add to the movie. If you're looking for a foreign movie to see, this is the one.

The dynamic animation and list of characters in this film's opening scene might lead you to believe that what you are about to view is either an animated film, or a mixture of animated and live action sequences. Neither is really true. Like 1997's Cat's Eye, the opening scene is the longest stretch of animation in the film. However, unlike Cat's Eye, this movie is not actually based on a comic. This is a classic bank heist gone wrong. Takeshi Kaneshiro, in a performance more like those in his television dramas than in his notable screen successes, leads a psychotic Hiroyuki Ikeuchi and a nervous Masanobu Ando through the doors of the bank at closing time. Their goal: to take the staff and patrons hostage, and liberate the institution of its assets. As their plan begins to deteriorate, Ando provides the team with fresh motivation by assigning them with character names from a comic book that he is obsessed with, allowing them to escape the severity of the situation (and the boredom of their own lives) by living that fantasy.

Space Travelers is a stylish action comedy with a decent soundtrack and a lot of pretty faces. It isn't exactly a brain-teaser, but that can play in your favour. If you are faced with an un-subtitled version, the visual comedy and slick action shots should be able to maintain your interest.

What a great film this is! The director of Bayside Shakedown returns with this fantastic movie which will bring out the kid in all of us.

The film's action sequences are top notch, at times even better than Hollywood. The comedy level in the film is very, very high.

Now, it seems for a moment that this is a regular action comedy but guess what - apart from the action and comedy, the film is also a pinching satire on Japanese media, police force and the entertainment industry.

I would give this film a perfect 10 if not for the end.

The film opens up giving us a feeling that this is one roller coaster ride we'll never forget. But then in the end, the film suddenly goes into a very sad mode. My God - it disappointed me!!!!!!

Screw the ending. Check this film out. You'll love it!

I know... I know... this ISN'T the animated movie. But it IS a pretty good Japanese action / comedy flick and believe it or not, it really has nothing to do with space at all. I can't tell you why the name is what it is without spoiling the plot of the movie but I will say it has something to do with Ando Masanobu (of BATTLE ROYALE fame) and his favorite Anime (Japanese cartoon) series and we'll leave it at that. I can say that it's a basic bank robbery film where there are the robbers, the hostages, the police, and big "get-away" at the end but NEVER assume too much with Japanese movies. This is an extremely pleasing film to watch and I'm glad I took the chance to pick it up sight unseen on Region 3 DVD.

My brother is a huge fan of Asian cinema. Every month he goes to Chinatown with a list of films he "needs" to get and returns with three new DVDs or VCDs for his collection. This is how I was introduced to Space Travelers, now one of my favorite films of all time.

I don't want to give away much of the plot, because the experience will be so much more enjoyable with the less you know. All I will say is that it begins with a stereotypical bank heist that fails only minutes into the robbery and that three orphans, a fiancée, a feuding couple, an electrician, an insecure bank teller and a terrorist will partake in cosplay* like no one has ever done before.

The film is about holding on to something. A dream. A goal. No matter how hard things get, even if the dream is ridiculous, impossible, never give up. During the film I developed Stockholm syndrome along with the other hostages as I began to believe in the three robbers dream of `paradise'. Very rarely am I so absorbed with a film.

And for what starts as such quirky comedy, ends in such dramatic and powerful climax. I've heard people consider that a negative thing, but I've seen enough of Asian cinema to realize that ¾ comedy and ¼ drama is not unusual. Such an ending could only work in this Industry; I shudder to think of how it might of ended if it followed the traditional Hollywood formula. Coupled with Faure's powerful `Requiem' and director Katsuyuki Motohiro powerful images the ending of Space Travelers is one that I will never forget.

While there are many parts of the film that could be considered flaws (such as some loose ends with certain characters, some low brow humor or some completely unrealistic situations) I found that they never detracted the experience and in my opinion were not flaws at all.

And yes there's the title. Space Travelers. What does it mean? Well it's the name of an anime series that used to be popular. One of the robbers happened to be a big fan of the series and collects trading cards for it. Still don't understand? Good, now go see the film.

*Cosplay is when anime fans dress up as their favorite characters.