I am going to be honest, there were times when I couldn't get over the eyes. I am sorry it got stuck in the uncanny valley for me and that hurt the movie at times. If the eyes were just a bit smaller things would have been fine but there were times when I just got a bit freaked out by the appearance.
Now that the major problem with the movie is out of the way, I have to say I really liked this movies. It had a lot of things that I really like, action, new types of sports, and redemption stories. The movie moves at a good pace and does a good job of exploring Alita pass in a way that makes sense and does not distract from the forward progression of the plot. I did not think there was much unnecessary exposition in the movie and the introduction of motorball served to advance the plot than provide a distraction to the movie.
Motorball is a combination of roller derby and death race, I think. The rules seem to be do what ever it takes to get the ball and race it a tube and dunk it in. The players wear motorized skates and appear to be able to do what ever they want to advance the ball to the goal. It's fun to watch not sure it would be fun to play, though that could be my lack of imagination with the motorized skates. Unlike this review, the movie is able to introduce the sport and actually give it value to the plot of the movie. Several key plot points take place during a game of motorball.
I'll be honest, I cheated a bit here as I look at a couple other reviews prior to watching the movie because I wanted to see how they dealt with the bug eyes and those reviewers seemed to have issue with the relationship with Alita and Hugo. I didn't have a problem with it as they are presented as two independent characters that change because of their interactions with the other. Hugo tries to improve himself because of meeting Alita but he never gives up his goal of advancing to the city in the sky. Alita, who has no memory of anything wants to help Hugo with his goal as well as advancing her goal of riding the world of evil and the enemy Nova. It takes time for her to remember all this but she does over the course of the movie.
It's a good movie but there is another issue with the film. The ending is setting up a sequel and as I was watching the movie when it got to the end I was ready for more. It think they ended it prematurely and there is a lot more story to tell. I think that was a major risk and one I am not a fan of. Generally, I think that a movie should wrap up the story in its duration. There can be an overarching story throughout a series of movies but the ending of one, especially the first should not be to set up the next. If it is the 2nd okay maybe that is fine but the 1st should really be self contained.
The movie though does make me want to watch more of Alita and I would go see a sequel as I am interested in where the story is going to go from here. James Cameron don't take as long as it did for Avatar 2.
4 out of 5 stars hands down will watch when it comes on TV.
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