Reviews

Could it be the worst film ever? Possibly.

Could it be used to extract information from even the most dangerous of spies? Definitely.

Sheer torture does not even begin to explain this film. Obviously you should like the Spice Girls if you hope to enjoy this movie, but how can any sane person appreciate such a contrived group of utter fakes? Those who are manipulated by our society's every whim, that's who...

I simply have no choice but to give Point Break a "1" since it came so close to sending me into a winter-long hibernation. Such horrendous acting, such a horrendous plot, where do I even start? Keanu Reeves, though I enjoyed his performance in Braham Stoker's Dracula, is at his all-time monotonic worst here, with lines like "No! It's time for you to go down!" or something silly like that. I guess you have to be one of those people who considers surfing a "way of life" to appreciate this movie. But then again, even surfers had to laugh at Patrick Swayze's assertion that he had "lived his whole life" for the chance to catch that absurdly gigantic tidal wave at the end. The only thing memorable about the film is the Ronald Reagan mask, and that should say it all about the futility of Point Break.

Along with Point Break and Spice World, Doc Hollywood is in a three-way horse race for the title of worst movie ever made. This "film" induced so many boredom-induced migraines that I prayed for the sweet release of death more than once.

Okay, maybe I'm going overboard, but this truly is one movie I hope I never have to experience again. What makes it so bad is that it is meant to be taken as a plausible movie, what with stars like Michael J. Fox and Woody Harrelson (worst actor ever) at the helm. Such a pointless story with no laughs, the one lingering highlight of the film is the breast-shot of the chick in the movie. The fact that they were no more than B-cups yet remain the most memorable aspect of this movie should say it all.

It amuses me that so many people are appalled by the "graphic violence" of this film when they are the ones who will turn around and glorify a movie like "Silence of the Lambs" simply because it is live-action. Akira completely dispels the myth that animation must be replete with characters who are super-deformed and randomly break into song. This is a true emotional experience the likes of which Hollywood could not duplicate even if it tried.

A gang of young motorcyclists get involved in a government plot involving the resurrection of "Akira," a force which once laid waste to Tokyo. Now, in the Neo-Tokyo of the future, the youngest and lowliest of the gang, Tetsuo, ends up harnessing this extremely destructive power and goes on a rampage of telepathic mayhem to earn the fear of those who once bullied him relentlessly. Beneath the violence in this movie lies the very touching story of this young man and his reconciliation with Keneda, his best friend.

One of the most moving scenes in the film is a flashback that shows the first meeting between the two when they were very young. Though the other kids had bullied and harassed Tetsuo, Keneda was there to stick up for his now lifelong friend. If those who watch Akira can discard their preconceived notions of what animation should be, they will find one of the most exciting, emotional, and rewarding films they will ever have the fortune of seeing.

As a special side note, I personally prefer the dubbed version, which is executed very well by a talented cast of voice actors. My favorite line in the movie belonged to the Colonel: "They don't teach tact at the academy." Though it was adapted from a huge body of manga work, Akira was executed perfectly, being directed by its original creator, Katsuhiro Otomo.