Review of Ultraman: The Next

I recently attended the Ultramania Film Festival here in San Francisco, CA, where the Bay Area premiere of Ultraman (a.k.a Ultraman: The Next) took place. Quite simply, this is an extremely entertaining movie for hardcore and casual fans of the character or anyone looking to spend 90 minutes witnessing pure, albeit silly, celluloid joy. The new movie is certainly more "mature" in it's telling compared to the original series and such beloved updates as Ultraman Tiga. There is a good amount of character development and some actual drama to be found. The action sequences are handled remarkably well and the final confrontation between Ultraman and his nemesis is a wonder to behold. The CG is quite good and blends real well with the more practical visual effects. The only real nitpick I had with the film is the theme sounded a bit too much like the "Top Gun" theme and "Top Gun" is not one of my favorite films. I heartily recommend Ultraman! Seek it out at all costs!