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Space Battleship Yamato (2010)

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki

Science Fiction | Action | Adventure

Most recently watched by sensoria, Javitron

Overview

In 2199, five years after the Gamilons began an invasion of Earth, the planet has been ravaged by the aliens’ bombs. The remnants of humanity have fled underground to escape the irradiated surface. One day, former pilot Susumu Kodai discovers a capsule sent from the planet Iscandar that tells of a device that can remove the radiation from the Earth’s surface. The Earth Defense Force rebuilds the battleship Yamato with a new type of propulsion system to make the 148,000 light year trip to Iscandar in hopes of saving the Earth. Within one year, the radiation will drive the rest of humanity to extinction.

Length 131 minutes

Actors

Viewing History (seen 1 time)


Date Viewed	Device	Format	Source	Rating
06/08/2014	TV	Blu-ray	Owned	7.5 stars
				(Average) 7.5 stars

Viewing Notes

This is a goddamn good movie. Over 2 hours that mostly flies by. Drags in a few spots but paced pretty well. I’m mad that I bought into what I perceived as negative WOM and didn’t pick this up sooner (before its domestic release) when I was eyeing the import. It was the Kaijucast recently mentioning it in context of Japan studios not really producing big sci-fi films anymore even though they felt this was a good movie. They were right! All the wonky sci-fi and plotting aside, this is a fun movie.

However I have many, MANY nitpicks but the biggest one is that I wish this were set in 2099 or earlier. Even 2059. But whatever. I love this movie and now I want to watch the anime series/movies. Did not realize that Takuya Kimura was lead in this. He’s like one of the biggest stars in Japan. I think I knew that Meisa Kuroki was starring and holy shit I love her even more now. She first got my attention in Miike’s Crows Zero. She does both beautiful and badass quite well.

I wish Japan committed to making more movies like this. Won’t sing as well for everyone I imagine but it really works for me. So much better than the more recent Gatchman live action.

***SPOILER STUFF***

Quit reading now if you intend on viewing this.

Set in 2199 yet nearly everything presented feels like the near future or even the past. The tech used is so archaic. Keyboards, mini-recorders at a press conference, the com system on Yamato, the machine guns, the attire, etc etc etc. When you think about how fast tech moves these days it’s silly to think any of this would be the same nearly 200 years into the future. It’s as if the only advancement was in space travel.

Even the Battleship itself with those exterior mounted guns is dated and not practical. There are many things you just have to accept or disregard but kinda annoying when you start thinking about it. I mean, why the hell do they even have hardcopy photographs anymore?? Feels like the past. I almost wish this was an alternate universe and timeline.

Why Dr. Sado has a cat on board makes little sense but that is one awesome cat. How a civilian can suddenly go from junk collector to piloting the ship to be immediately tasked with the first trial using the Wave Gun in combat is ridiculous. Yeah I get it; he used to be an ace pilot that quite the force but it’s a lot of leaps to think he can suddenly rejoin and given that task.

I dig that they decide to kill nearly everyone. They give you reasons to like these characters so it’s an emotional hit when they get killed. All the way to the end. BUT that raid on the Iskander, the alien home base, just doesn’t even seem plausible given the superior race that the aliens are and the sheer number of them. Also convenient they brought a bomb with them when that wasn’t even their purpose in going to that home base.

They throw Kodai into the brig for risking the ship but when they take him out for his last call back to Earth suddenly he’s back piloting the ship like no harm no foul. Oh and that “you only get one minute to call Earth” and have to do it one at a time is FUCKING RIDICULOUS. Seriously? Tech has devolved 200 years into the future that communications are so limited like this? Ugh.

Again, dumb stuff that could have been handled much better with the same sentiment. The aliens have possession and mind control powers and yet they don’t utilize when the Yamato crew enters their home planet?

Actually the aliens are so damn powerful it seems dumb they just don’t keep assaulting the Yamato wave after wave since they have more resources and larger army of ships versus one Yamato and a very small Black Tiger squadron. After Yuki loses her ship in the beginning she has another one. Maybe they just have a lot of attack ships for backup.

Also I don’t get how there are so few crew on the Yamato unless most just get killed and we don’t see or hear about it. When the Wave Gun gets blocked why not send out Yuki to blow off the plug in the gun? I totally thought they would do that when they have her blow off the alien ship and the lower bridge earlier in the movie.

Not sure when Yuki and Kodai had time for sex but I guess that’s what happened during that warp scene. Would seem to be a quick turn of events since that’s when they kiss for the first time. Miner thing but didn’t need the kid at the end of the movie (then again I’m just presuming that was Kodai’s son).

Brings me to my last point. If going by actual RL age, Yuki is 22 years old and Todai is 38 years old. That’s a pretty big gap yet we’re supposed to buy that have been in the same squadron together. And hook up. To be fair they don’t look like they are 16 years apart but it’s weird when you know that. Like he’s technically old enough to be her father. And how does Yuki become an ace pilot at 22 years old? Nitpicky, I know. I give it a pass because she’s so damn pretty.

I could go on but that’s enough. If you’ve read all this then hopefully you’ve seen the movie. Fortunately the movie is good enough to rise above these quibbles.

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