WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3

Anyone who comes to this anime expecting cliché Japanese robot/monster fights is in for deep, deep disappointment. But if you are interested in one of the finest Japanese procedural films since Kurosawa's High & Low, watch this film.

I have no idea what inspired the creators of the otherwise pedestrian Patlabor series to create this almost noirish meditation on the grey, atomized life of modern Japanese. But by combining the deliberate pace of Kurosawa's masterwork with portraits of weathered bureaucrats and alienated beauties lost in in Tokyo's concrete jungle, this work envelopes one in Japanese life at the millennium. It's an extraordinary piece of immersion into a culture that is superficially like ours but in reality vastly different.

The plot i subside the point--it is the day to day details of the two lead detectives that are the true subject of this astonishing film.

I was lucky enough to see this movie when it first came out in March 2002. It was featured at the 2002 Hong Kong Film Festival before the rest of the world sees it except Japan. Both the director and the writer of the movie came all the way from Japan to introduce and Q/A at the screening hall. How often do you see that? I had never seen a Patlabor movie before. I was totally blown away by how sophisticated this movie was. It rivals many Hollywood production movies if not better. The detective story, the visual, the soundtrack, the well written dialogues, the action sequences (though there are little) are all world-class beyond reproach. Fans of Patlabor will also be surprised by a change of perspective in this new movie, like that of "Metal Gear Solid 2" for PlayStation 2. This movie is simply amazing!

I've been an anime fan since i was 11, and now, in the year 2002 over 10 years later, i'm delighted to say that i still find such remarkable titles such as this. As a standard mark....my favourite anime movies include.....Akira, Jin-Roh, Princess Mononoke, Cowboy Bebop, Grave Of The Fireflies, Wings Of Honneamise, and so on.

The first Patlabor movie was one of the first anime i ever saw, and whilst it is now finally starting to show its age, it's follow up remains a benchmark in both the standards of animation and story-telling that animated features have managed to achieve. And being directed by the now legendary Mamoru Oshii who would expect anything less. But for the third film the Patlabor usual suspects disperse and let a new team handle it with the only consistant contributor being the finest composer in animated or live action films in the east... Kenji Kawai.

Importing the japenese dvd i was salivating at the chance to watch this highly anticipated sequel and a day after i've finally managed to qualm my excitement to review it.

I have to say that i was blown away by this flick. The animation is continuously gorgeous and at times just ridiculously beautiful with an attention to detail that i have never seen before. The characters aren't going to be easy to get to know if you've never seen any of the other Patlabor films or series, but center here around the detectives rather than the Labor operatives themselves. Its a wonderful touch to see the regulars of the series wander about in the background in certain scenes following their perspective of the film that would usually be what we got to see. The story is quite remarkable. Not because it's not slightly familiar to this sort of anime (especially the sub-dued, dreamlike government conspiracy plots that tend to regularly be used on the Patlabor flicks) but because it's pulled off with an elegant ease and makes far more sense than most people would probably give it credit for.

Not wanting to give any of the deliscious surprises away....this film plays out like a cross between Patlabor 2, a Tom Clancy novel, and a hefty slice of Godzilla. That's right. I really don't want to say anymore about the plot though. The animation style is the very best of both worlds comprising of Jin-Roh style realism set to Ghost In The Shell detail and elegance. And of course - the music is absolutely superb.

If i have any flaws with this film it's that the outcome is rather predictable, but it doesn't really seem to be the directors intentions to keep you guessing anyway. So if you are the type of person who wants twists and turns and action packed anime look elsewhere. There's pretty much no humor, barely any action(although when there is its all the more punctuated for its absence elsewhere) and only features the Patlabors themselves in the last 15 minutes or so. However if you find that they aren't enough gentle, genuinely interesting, sumptuous and mature anime out there then this will probably end up as one of your favourite films of all time....animated or otherwise.....just like me.

09/10

I just rented the North American DVD and was surprised to see a US movie trailer in the package. This trailer says the movie was in theaters in January of 2003. I don't remember seeing anything like that in the local newspaper. Maybe it was a limited run in selected cities. Anyway I must warn you that like most movies based on existing series there is no reintroduction of the characters. That means if you don't know who does what the movie won't tell you. Also the Special Vehicles Unit takes a supporting role because the story revolves around the captain's detective friend. That means your favourite characters will hardly get any screen time or lines to say. I will give the movie a "B" rating.

I don't really know why the hate towards this beautiful, fun, thriller, the pace it's slow but it's intended to be like that, it has action, and motives enough to do what the characters do, yes Mamoru it's not involved, but so what?, this is a very entertaining production, and it reflects how life in that not far away Tokio is held, that means that is not only the characters of the first movies the only ones that live there, basically, this expand the universe of Patlabor series.

It's not perfect, but it's beautiful done, and please, do favor for you and don't watch the dub version, I get that is one of the weak points of the bad reviews.