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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Appleseed (2005)

Rating: 1 Star (out of 4)

Rotten to the Core

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Appleseed on DVD.

Based on a manga by Shirow Masamune (Ghost in the Shell), this anime attempts a modern look by using computer animation to smooth out the usual hand-drawn characters. But with all that gorgeous imagery, you'd think the filmmakers would have found a way to tell the story visually without using mountains of expositional dialogue. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the plot involves the hunt for a formula that will allow artificial humans to breed. It's not exactly clear what the benefits and/or drawbacks to such a thing would be, but two warring factions are willing to kill each other over it. Apparently the manga is very dense and intelligent, but this adaptation boasts one of the worst screenplays I've ever had the displeasure of listening to. The best I can say is that it's not as bad as Pokemon.

Starring: (voices) Jennifer Proud, James Lyon, Mia Bradly, Jack Aubree, Frederick Bloggs, Russell Thor, William Frederick
Written by: Handa Haruka, Kamishiro Tsutomu, based on the comic by Shirow Masamune
Directed by: Shinji Aramaki
MPAA Rating: R for some violence
Running Time: 103 minutes
Date: January 14, 2005