bhiargoplease

After watching dozens of zombie flicks, you tend to notice that they hordes of undead are similarly conceptualized. That isn't to say the movies are necessarily bad, but without adding anything new to the genre, I normally don't anticipate zombie movies being very good.

While Shinsuke Sato may not appear to add revolutionary depth to the zombie trope, I was thoroughly engaged by the amount of twists and turns they put into the enemy design (literally). The contorting, writhing movements of the zombies in this film definitely add to the fear of their aggression.

The CGI didn't fail either, adding a visceral and grotesque motif to the monsters through darkened veins, swiveling eyes, and surrealistic abilities. Overall, it adds to the gory thrill-ride this movie takes you on and even supplements these conceptions with a well-wrought story and engaging characters.

Speaking of, all the characters felt fresh. The characters that make up the protagonist group are all fleshed out nicely. Their personalities match their actions and their personal growth over some of the problems the movie presents makes their character development all the more satisfying.

The only downside would be that I wanted more. Not necessarily in a sequel, but there are some portions of the film that had me pining for answers. I wish that some of the longer battles would be toned down in length so that I could explore the narrative developments of the characters, but that's a small qualm with this movie overall.

If you are looking for a riveting story with an interesting take on the zombie trope, I would suggest watching I Am a Hero. The effects are great, characters are written well, and the overall idea behind the film is a great one.

I didn't read the book prior and I had no knowledge of the film even being made. Without any presuppositions about the movie at all, I found myself pretty encapsulated at the start. It was an interesting premise with unique visuals, which was enhanced by Portman's acting.

Unfortunately, the glaring plot-holes started to become more noticeable when they stepped into the shimmer. Things surrounding the military, research crews, and other science fiction take a lot of prior knowledge to set the scene appropriately. Apparently the writers didn't think much of that through and it becomes overwhelmingly salient as the film drones on.

The more I continued to watch, the more I became bored with the premise. It almost came off as pseudo-intellectual. Painting a picture of profundity through continually confusing the viewer with empty plot points, but showing some shiny imagery to encapsulate them once more.

The unique visuals of the film are only the thing that carries it, but there becomes a point when even that can't band-aid the outrageous holes within the story, characters, and writing style. Near the end, I was almost laughing from how brazenly silly the narrative turned out to be.

As far as science-fiction goes, Annihilation has a couple of interesting developments that are best left on paper. In execution, it becomes a mess of quasi-intellectual, abstruse nonsense and fails to deliver anything new, engaging, or spectacular to the genre.

While the directing of Sono normally begets disturbing visuals and grotesque violence, most of his works still have an abstract narrative that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. Upon initially seeing this series on Amazon, I thought I would be getting myself into something similar to his previous works. However, his impression on Tokyo Vampire Hotel isn't as prevalent as I would have liked.

Throughout the show, you can definitely see his signature charm pouring through with the visuals. The choreographed battle sequences are peppered into the series eloquently, even if they drag on a bit longer than you might have expected. This isn't entirely contrary to Sono's previous titles (see: Why Don't You Play in Hell) where violence drones on for several minutes, but the creativity from that movie are sorely missed here.

It also felt as though Tokyo Vampire Hotel had a couple filler episodes. This was odd for a short series; almost as if Sono was pressured to create something that stretched beyond his initial vision. The desultory structure of this show is prevalent, but don't let that dissuade you from watching it as I was still thoroughly impressed with the ending that does a great job in tying the confusing story together.

Overall, I think it deserves to be watched. The plot is just as rare as any other Sono work, even if it's a bit against the grain of his previous film-making forays. The characters are interestingly designed and the dialogue suits them perfectly; the choreography had some really clever moments; and the soundtrack is really memorable.

The only downside is that it is an Amazon original, which makes it difficult for some to actually watch it. If you can find a way to view this, definitely give it a go. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!