Samâ wôzu

"Summer Wars" isn't a masterpiece of invention. All its elements (audio, visuals, story line) are decent but nothing stands out as extraordinary. The soundtrack felt fitting and emotional during the scenes but completely forgettable as well. The visuals were well done, especially during the fight scenes, but just on par with modern anime standards. The characters and plot points were a mix of elements that you can easily find elsewhere. You have the shy protagonist, the annoying children, the strong family lead etc.. You have a typical suspense curve of a drama. From a technical standpoint, this movie hits all the right notes but in no way does it try to surprise the viewer.

"Summer Wars" is definitely worth a watch if one is looking for a well-made but simple anime. However I doubt that I will watch it a second time.

Note that several conflicts in this movie are resolved in combat (not realistic bar fights but full blown anime fights), so it might not be accessible to everyone.