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Casshern

Casshern (2004) Movie Poster
Japan  •    •  142m  •    •  Directed by: Kazuaki Kiriya.  •  Starring: Yûsuke Iseya, Kumiko Asô, Akira Terao, Kanako Higuchi, Fumiyo Kohinata, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Mayumi Sada, Jun Kaname, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Susumu Terajima, Mayu Tsuruta, Ryô.  •  Music by: Shiro Sagisu.
        In a world with an alternate history, a great war finally comes to an end leaving the earth diseased and polluted. The geneticist Dr.Azuma vies for support from the government for his neo-cell treatment that he claims can rejuvenate the body and regenerate humankind. The government leaders, guarding their own deeply entrenched powers, turn down the professor. Driven to complete his work, Dr.Azuma accepts a secret offer from a sinister faction of the powerful military. After an incident occurs in Dr.Azuma's lab, a race of mutant humans known as the Shinzo Ningen are unleashed upon the world. Now only the warrior known as Casshern, reincarnated with an invincible body, stands between the Shinzo Ningen and a world on the brink of annihilation.

Trailers:

   Length:  Languages:  Subtitles:
 2:00
 1:38
 
 
 1:18
 
 0:15
 
 

Review:

Image from: Casshern (2004)
Image from: Casshern (2004)
Image from: Casshern (2004)
Image from: Casshern (2004)
Image from: Casshern (2004)
Image from: Casshern (2004)
Image from: Casshern (2004)
how I drooled for this film, waiting for it to come onto DVD, blessed with subtitles, so it could stop taunting me from the local cinema! A couple of months before seeing this film, I had been to Hiroshima, to the Peace Memorial Park, and the Atom Bomb Museum. Any of you who have gone there will probably see Casshern in a similar light to myself. This film is very allegorical, and as such, is highly thematic. A strong theme in this film is the destruction of war, and the human pull to create it. For me, this film connected a circle of associated events, starting with the beautiful city of Hiroshima, and ending in my living room, watching Casshern. It was very powerful.

Japanese sci-fi often employs apocalyptic themes, and when you consider that Japan really is a post-apocalyptic nation, such ideas gain new meaning. Casshern is one such film, and as already said, entirely allegorical. Viewers who want the film suggested by the infamously inaccurate Internet Trailer, will probably be disappointed. This film has action but it is highly stylized and in-dispersed amongst long sections of dialog and stillness. It's a morality tale and makes no excuses for sometimes being heavy handed whilst doing so. The characters and their actions are often quite symbolic, and this film borders on "Art House" (whatever that term means), but has enough accessibility to straddle both sides of the fence.

Visually the film is sumptuous, and may actually have beaten Sky Captain to the finish line, for being the first film to be totally filmed before a green screen. Or was that Vidoq? Regardless, the CG is really really beautful, and rather than strive for photo realistism, which frankly the budget wouldn't have allowed, it instead acieved a kind of animated art. Some scenes glow, whilst others feel like bare empty stages. Some appear like old war propaganda, reminiscent of Pink Floyd's The Wall and Cold War posters. Depending on the theme and emotion, this first time film director, artfully changes between style and aesthetic.

The end result is an amazing achievement and while it has been panned, it has also been praised, ever so highly. This film is an amazing example of film makers doing something unique, and I can't wait to see the next film from the director. I also hope very much that the rumored Hollywood remake does not come to pass. Let Japan have this moment in the sun to itself.


Review by UberNoodle from the Internet Movie Database.