Read Mixed User Reviews for Alita: Battle Angel

4

SeveredWingJul 24, 2019

So as a young lad I saw this as an anime on the old Sci-Fi (yes, they actually used to be called Sci-Fi as in Science Fiction, I know its mindblowing) Channel's Saturday Anime block alongside other greats like Vampire Hunter D and Akira.So as a young lad I saw this as an anime on the old Sci-Fi (yes, they actually used to be called Sci-Fi as in Science Fiction, I know its mindblowing) Channel's Saturday Anime block alongside other greats like Vampire Hunter D and Akira. While not as gripping as these others, it did have very interesting elements to it that I found intriguing.
This "live action" adaptation is not doing the anime (or manga for that matter) much justice. The film starts by trying to lure people into Alita's character by giving her a childlike demeanor and wonder. This all falls quite flat though when she starts showing off her latent abilities. Later they then try and lure you in a second time by making her character develop relationships and affections so you can be reminded she isn't just a robot, but a cyborg.
In the end the story has too much backstory to covey and hides most of it for the supposed Sequel (so help me god if they call it anything with "Tears" in it I will be very upset). So what happens is the entirety of the film is character development for Alita, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but they never really flesh out her character. Is she bent on revenge, does she want her memories back, is she looking for answers from her past, and so on and so on. The only real driving force seems to be a lust for battle, a very strong message delivered in the anime and manga.
The thing that rally got me was all the goofy cyborgs. This movie works better as a cartoon. Having real faces of real people basically CGI-ed onto robotic frames got very old. And di you know the people who brought you "Avatar" did this? I sure did when I saw Alita's comically large eyes. I was not sure if this was an Avatar get or a bad jab at anime/manga characters having large eyes (by the way they are drawn that way because Japanese people find beady eyes disturbing and/or shifty, they really think Mickey Mouse is some kind of villain, I swear). To put it bluntly the visual effects are good, but they are also overused. Everything looks fake and you know its fake and that's the crux of it. The nurse lady is the only cyborg who even remotely looks cool and she gets like 3 minutes of screen time the entire film.
So in the end, save yourself the trouble and just watch the OVA Anime. Its not great, but its better fair than this and since it is animated you won't have ghost faces pasted onto CGI robots.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

DruganovJun 28, 2019

An nice re-imagining of the old Battle Angel Alita manga's. It looks beautiful, but the action is not great, but also not afwul. This movie left so much unfulfilled plot-holes it's irritating. Also making this movie a PG-13 didn't helpAn nice re-imagining of the old Battle Angel Alita manga's. It looks beautiful, but the action is not great, but also not afwul. This movie left so much unfulfilled plot-holes it's irritating. Also making this movie a PG-13 didn't help either, how the &@#$ do you get a manga and make it a family movie. wtf cameron?

Besides, i see that this movie has been review-bombed by thousands of sponsors on IMDB and Metacritic, sad, sad, sad...… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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4

PalpetineSheevMar 20, 2020

That is without a doubt one of the lamest endings to a film that I have ever witnessed.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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6

clarkaddisonFeb 19, 2019

This movie does look brilliant. Mr. Waltz does amazing as well as Miss Salazar. The action looks brilliant and works flawlessly with the created world given to us. The problem is, without getting into spoilers, that some things don`t getThis movie does look brilliant. Mr. Waltz does amazing as well as Miss Salazar. The action looks brilliant and works flawlessly with the created world given to us. The problem is, without getting into spoilers, that some things don`t get fleshed out enough and other characters have sad endings or demises but I didn`t care enough about them to feel emotional about it. If you could go off visuals alone it would be a 9 or 8 but without reading the manga before had I feel like I`m missing out on a lot of info.… Expand

4 of 10 users found this helpful46

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5

rowlandsFeb 23, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There is no denying that Alita's motion capture is the best visual spectre in the movie. But let's move past that. Rober Rodriguez is always an odd choice given that he is not the best storyteller nor director for his actors. As usual, when James Cameron is the screenwriter, there is always the same arc, plot holes and the...
SPOILER
...the love interest always dying. It is quite clear that there is an intentional setup for a sequel, which is usually why there are so many questions unanswered. But we definitely need more on where she came from and why she didn't visit the command deck on the fallen ship again...
The script is written in a way that we really don't care about them, even when they are killed off...such as Vector, Shereen, Ido or even Hugo...

This movie could have been this year's breakthrough, but the directing and script really ruined it.… Expand

4 of 12 users found this helpful48

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6

JumpCut_OnlineFeb 24, 2019

This was fun and visually impressive. However, now that the film’s setting and characters have been established, hopefully the sequels will have less convoluted plots, and not as many obvious plot-twists.

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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5

BroyaxJul 13, 2019

Bon déjà, j'espère qu'il y aura au moins deux autres films au vu de la fin abrupte (découpée à la lame mono-moléculaire) comme s'il manquait une demi-heure qu'on avait hâchée à la dernière minute, car on est carrément coupé dans notre élanBon déjà, j'espère qu'il y aura au moins deux autres films au vu de la fin abrupte (découpée à la lame mono-moléculaire) comme s'il manquait une demi-heure qu'on avait hâchée à la dernière minute, car on est carrément coupé dans notre élan (et nos espoirs) de belle et bonne adaptation...

L'adaptation (visuelle) est au moins belle, très belle en tout cas et voir le monde de Gunnm prendre vie ainsi est comme un rêve d'enfant devenu réalité : magnifiques effets spéciaux mais aussi très belle direction artistique, dans l'ensemble fort fidèle à l'oeuvre de Yukito Kishiro. Tellement fidèle qu'ils ont cru bon refaire les yeux énormes de Gally... pour de vrai. Mais alors, le nez d'Ido aurait dû être beaucoup plus long à ce tarif-là... et ainsi de suite.

Quelqu'un aurait peut-être dû leur expliquer que les grand yeux dans les mangas, c'est un mode (et une mode) d'expression, une sorte de tic à ne pas prendre au pied de la lettre...

Quoi qu'il en soit, les combats, très bien fichus, restituent l'adrénaline ressentie dans le manga, via une mise en scène soignée et spectaculaire avec quelques chouettes ralentis : bref, c'est du sérieux et du solide. Evidemment, la violence reste édulcorée, voire presque bisounours en fait... pour ne pas se couper de l'audience des ados et des enfants, je présume. De même, il manque le cynisme et l'ironie du manga, que seul un Verhoeven aurait pu retranscrire sur le grand écran ! Côté scénario, ils s'en sont pas trop mal sortis... si on fait abstraction d'étranges détours pour aboutir au même point que dans l'oeuvre originale. Mais bon... en fait, c'est surtout le personnage de Jennifer Connelly qui fait pièce rapportée.

Globalement, le film n'est pas mauvais mais reste malheureusement décevant -en substance- comparé au manga. Il faut dire qu'il est exceptionnel le manga et très difficile à adapter... mais depuis le temps que le projet était en chantier, on ne peut qu'être assez désappointé. Vivement les suites, pour voir si ça s'arrange ou si ça sombre... corps et biens.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

farrr_Jul 3, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie started good,but then the love scenes came in,and ruined the whole phase of the movie...I dont mind the romance but it was not cohesive and immersive for me.I loved her facial expressions,and fighting scenes tho.She was more badass and cooler in her first body when she lacked the memory.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

DeDorgothFeb 20, 2019

PRO
* It's nice to see Gally, Vector and Ido in "flesh" and bone. Finally, I was not spoiled by Gally's eyes.
* The scenes of the Kansas Bar fight against Grewishka are really cool * The choreographies of the Motorball have mouth. * The filmPRO
* It's nice to see Gally, Vector and Ido in "flesh" and bone. Finally, I was not spoiled by Gally's eyes.
* The scenes of the Kansas Bar fight against Grewishka are really cool
* The choreographies of the Motorball have mouth.
* The film roughly takes over the OVAs plot.
* We feel the will to do well ...

CONS
* Some white washing: the names are Americanized, characters change ethnicity, etc ...
* We miss the soul of the Manga in its finest: the satire of society, violence, the quest for oneself, etc ...
* It's a teen movie. The whole film is based on Y (h) ugo and his love story like in a Beverly Hills episode.
* Nova, who is presented as the big bad guy but who is badly brought in.
* The motorball, false advertising with a discount cast and a **** stage release.
* Does the whole cast have Gally's phone? Because they call him all the time, even during a motorball match.
* the visual rendering is too smooth, we do not realize the dirty side, sticky. There is lens flare everywhere, androids are too rare and when they are there it is often a head inlay on a 3D person that shines everywhere. We lose the identity of the thing, it could be done by J. J. Abrams.
* Some characters are completely missed: Yugo, Zapan (the total fail), Jashugan or Nova.
* The story. If I was not a die hard fan of the manga, would I have liked this movie? I do not think, if we put aside the fan service, the story is flat, even silly, the visual is more than anything and it seems to follow yet another movie like Hunger game, labyrinth, etc. ..
In short, read the manga or watch the OVAs, it's better… Expand

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

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5

BulgarianCriticFeb 16, 2019

The effects and action scenes were pretty great but the story was a boring and cliche as it gets.

5 of 17 users found this helpful512

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6

TVJerryFeb 19, 2019

One of my pet peeves about futuristic movies is that some elements are so advanced, while others are ridiculously anachronistic. This film is set 300 years in a bleak future, but most people still dress like they're living in the 80s andOne of my pet peeves about futuristic movies is that some elements are so advanced, while others are ridiculously anachronistic. This film is set 300 years in a bleak future, but most people still dress like they're living in the 80s and still ride in cars with drivers! As for the plot: an abandoned cyborg with Manga eyes (Rosa Salazar) it brought back on line by a kindly Christoph Waltz. Turns out she's got super strength and fights with amazing skill. The clashes are directed with dizzying pace and inventive action by Robert Rodriguez. On the other hand, the dramatic interactions just lie there…dull and lifeless and it doesn't help that the narrative is so trite. There's are elements to enjoy in this sci-fi adventure, but it's not destined to live in the annals of great ones (even though it ends poised for sequel).… Expand

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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6

RtheomFeb 24, 2019

The worst thing about Alita is that, in the hands of more competent script writers, this could have been a really great movie. Currently it stands as little more than a very well produced mess.

I really liked the Alita as a character. IThe worst thing about Alita is that, in the hands of more competent script writers, this could have been a really great movie. Currently it stands as little more than a very well produced mess.

I really liked the Alita as a character. I found her personality interesting, her motives good and her acting solid. Unfortunately the rest of the cast just didn't manage to keep up. Most of the actors felt a little out of place and the dialogue they were forced to deliver was simply atrocious.

That being said, the action scenes were top notch and the whole thing was very cool to look at. They could have used a few more scene locales besides "Doctor's House", "Slum Streets" and "Roller Derby", but those did at least look good.

The plot is also a bit of a mess, and feels like they took 5 different plot lines and stitched them all together into a big mess that doesn't work logically. Instead of Alita making any sort of realistic journey through the world of Iron City, she just kind of appears randomly wherever the story needs her to go. It made the whole place feel very small and full of extremely convenient accidents. There either needed to be less going on or more movie to fill the whole thing out.

In the end, we're given something that is sorta fun to watch but hardly worth recommending. This has all been done better before and I'm not certain it warrants the sequel it demands at the end.… Expand

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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6

chesaroFeb 23, 2019

I have one of the most heavy internal conflicts with this one, i really don't know if i like it or not, but as a movie by itself is not that good, i really don't understand what happened to rodriguez on this one

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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5

SathemaFeb 27, 2019

To clarify i´ve read the manga so im a bit harsher on this movie than some watchers. This movie is enjoyable if you like - gorgeous visuals - well directed action scenes - badass female characters. This movie is not enjoyable if you want toTo clarify i´ve read the manga so im a bit harsher on this movie than some watchers. This movie is enjoyable if you like - gorgeous visuals - well directed action scenes - badass female characters. This movie is not enjoyable if you want to have a
- good story with well written antagonists and a background story
- story which does not rely on exposition every 5 minutes
- well written romance - good side characters
- R-Rating
- gritty atmosphere
- want the adaption to be faithful

The problem with the movie is that it takes to much from the source material and crams it into the movie so that the plot is a incoherent mess even tho the world/action/main protagonist are engaging. And on first sight it seems the adaption was faithful to the source material. But it isn´t. Every 10 minutes you will get a fanservice scene, if thats what you want go for it, however if you want the fan service scenes to be strung together so that the story is enjoyable and logical, well i need to dissapoint you. You won´t get it here. The director/propucer didn´t know what to adapt properly and in which order, thus the movie is only enjoyable if you want mindless action and gorgoeus visuals. Things which would have benefited the movie regardless of its story:
- R-Rating
- bleaker and more gritty world design… Expand

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

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6

Alexandre_CFeb 18, 2019

As someone who has read the original manga, this is an excellent adaptation but there are too many stumbling blocks to make it a really good film. Rodriguez and Cameron have done the actual world of Gunnm (battle angel) some serious credit,As someone who has read the original manga, this is an excellent adaptation but there are too many stumbling blocks to make it a really good film. Rodriguez and Cameron have done the actual world of Gunnm (battle angel) some serious credit, giving Yukito Kishiro's 1990s vision of a post-apocalyptic shanty-city a much needed facelift. However, this is where the film begins to lose its way; some scenes are almost carbon copies from the source material and, like the source material, it stumbles and makes narrative jumps that seem to come from nowhere, particularly with respect to Alita's personality and how she ends up as a "hunter warrior". As a result, the combat becomes the glue that holds the story together, overcoming occasionally forced and wooden dialogue until it finally trips over itself in a forced sequel hook which features the worst "nooo!" scream since Hayden Christensen launched a thousand memes.

A must watch for fans of the original series that's better than the adaptations of Ghost in the Shell and Dragonball, but that's about the best that can be said of it.… Expand

3 of 13 users found this helpful310

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6

Compi24Feb 19, 2019

An adaptation nearly 20 years in the making, the final product that is "Alita: Battle Angel" may not necessarily justify all of the development time, hype, and delayed release dates we've had to sift through since jump, but that also doesn'tAn adaptation nearly 20 years in the making, the final product that is "Alita: Battle Angel" may not necessarily justify all of the development time, hype, and delayed release dates we've had to sift through since jump, but that also doesn't mean said final product isn't -- at the very least -- a decent time as well. Sure, it's stupid, silly, mindlessly violent at times, and almost exclusively cheap in an emotional sense. But, in fairness, was anyone expecting a product finer than that? I know I really wasn't. Flaws aside, though, it is still terrific to look at, with breathtaking production design, set pieces, and effects. Just don't expect much else beneath the surface, however.… Expand

3 of 14 users found this helpful311

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6

marcmyworksFeb 17, 2019

Though this film is truly a visual feast, Robert Rodriguez lacks the scope to create anything more than what feels like a tween sci-fi flick. James Cameron had been working on the script for this film for ten years and unfortunately it feelsThough this film is truly a visual feast, Robert Rodriguez lacks the scope to create anything more than what feels like a tween sci-fi flick. James Cameron had been working on the script for this film for ten years and unfortunately it feels like the prologue of a series rather than the stand alone epic film it should have been.… Expand

3 of 14 users found this helpful311

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4

DenXFeb 14, 2019

It's nice to see so much money spent on bringing such a cyperpunk manga classic to the big screen but past the wow effect, the movie falls short on the narrative and fidelity to the original material. Instead of telling one story at a time,It's nice to see so much money spent on bringing such a cyperpunk manga classic to the big screen but past the wow effect, the movie falls short on the narrative and fidelity to the original material. Instead of telling one story at a time, they tried to squeeze too many parts of the manga into a 2 hours movie. The result is a mess, with hollow characters, plots that goes nowhere or some that don't even happen in the manga.
Why did they remove most of the characters's back story to add this "heart" intrigue that reminds more of Ironman's Ark reactor than any of the stories written by Yukito Kishiro ? People may enjoy the movie for its incredible visuals but many will cringe on the bad writting and as a fan of the manga, it just feels like a failed opportunity to give this masterpiece the movie it deserves.… Expand

5 of 25 users found this helpful520

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4

ccstoneFeb 21, 2019

Grievously one dimensional. I hope the anime is better.

Much of the action feels inauthentic, although there are places where it tracks.

-ccs

3 of 15 users found this helpful312

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6

Trineo99Feb 17, 2019

First of all, the set design and cinematography in this film is stunning and reminds me of Blade Runner. The sets look like actually things from a dystopian future. The lighting in each scene, especially the night time shots is beautiful toFirst of all, the set design and cinematography in this film is stunning and reminds me of Blade Runner. The sets look like actually things from a dystopian future. The lighting in each scene, especially the night time shots is beautiful to look at. Now the story felt like three completely different films that was mixed into one two hour and two-minute film. From the first scene to the last it never felt like the same film and this at sometimes caused the film to halt a stop. Sometimes the story would magically connect to the main story but most of the time it was three different stories that didn’t connect at all. You can easily tell that all the actors and actresses were giving it their all but some of them just ended up not working for me. This could be because of poor casting or they just didn’t try as hard in some scenes. One person who didn’t work for me was Keean Johnson, who plays Hugo. I just didn’t really care for him but I will give him a break seeing how he has only been in two other things. This film is obviously heavily relied on special effects so they need to look good and they did in certain scenes and moments but in others, I cringed obvious it was. Also, this is just me being me but Alita’s eyes scared me in a majority of the film. The pacing in this film felt really slow but I’m just going to blame it on the film that doesn’t know what it wants to be. The music in this, which is composed by Junkie XL, is great and I can easily see myself listening to it while I’m doing homework. This film is classified as a romance on IMDB and really I think if they cut the main relationship it wouldn’t harm the film in any way. There are plot twists in this film and you can easily see them coming from a mile away and I only say that because the characters drop so many hints about it that once it’s revealed your like yeah I know. The writing in this film is dull and really there is nothing to it. A lot of it is just cliched writing at it’s finest. The movie ends really abruptly and with a hint to a possible sequel idea. Finally, the action in this film has been done so many times that you can watch any action film and see some similar things in it. There was probably only one fight scene that stuck out to me as being really well done and original. But other than that all of them are just copycat scenes at best. In the end, Hollywood should learn to stop making movies off of mangas and anime, in general, you are curious or want to see a beautiful looking film this is for you. If not then just skip this.… Expand

2 of 10 users found this helpful28

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6

vinio2323Apr 27, 2019

Honestly I nice outing to go see, and I had no expectations going in. I wouldn’t say outstanding by any stretch but it had enough to make you care for the story and characters with plenty of action! There were quite a few cheesy moments too.Honestly I nice outing to go see, and I had no expectations going in. I wouldn’t say outstanding by any stretch but it had enough to make you care for the story and characters with plenty of action! There were quite a few cheesy moments too. I would recommend this a a good movie to check out if you haven't, but not something I'd have seen in theaters had I known it's full extent. Great for action movie lovers for sure though.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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6

JokohamaFeb 14, 2019

Nice visual, cool action, easy to follow. But compare to the manga, this movie is just a casual american-ize story. And how are everyone too pretty and clean when they live in a Scrapyard?

4 of 21 users found this helpful417

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6

JamesdayzFeb 14, 2019

Ok so Alita was directed by Robert Rodríguez who basically directed all the spy kids movies the movie was written by James Cameron who made titanic, avatar and so on. The acting sucked ass... Just to put it simply it sucked... The story was aOk so Alita was directed by Robert Rodríguez who basically directed all the spy kids movies the movie was written by James Cameron who made titanic, avatar and so on. The acting sucked ass... Just to put it simply it sucked... The story was a loooot of setup for 2 maybe 3 other movies they ghost in the Shell this by cramming 4 book elements into one movie and letting the hamster run on it's wheel. Now the action was **** amazing can't deny that but that's it... The cgi well cgi will always be a 50/50 for everyone it is absolutely everywhere... The movie itself in my raw opinion was ok it is a watch that is it don't expect something out of this world at all because it was not... The manga's dialogue was almost the same I swear xD there is some cringe but the movie was not terrible just digestible I suppose. The manga's aiight...… Expand

3 of 16 users found this helpful313

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4

AxeTFeb 19, 2019

Sensational looking but typical sci-fi fantasy formula driven drivel full of clichés made even worse by practically non-existent 3D! It's unbelievable that both Rodriguez and especially Camaron go light on the 3D. First of all your storySensational looking but typical sci-fi fantasy formula driven drivel full of clichés made even worse by practically non-existent 3D! It's unbelievable that both Rodriguez and especially Camaron go light on the 3D. First of all your story sucks so you wouldn't be distracting from it by full use of 3D, gimmick perception or not. Secondly, the Z-axis has depth in both directions and is artistically and commercially perfectly valid put to its fullest use as a canvas! GO WITH IT OR DON'T RELEASE IN 3D! Idiots, subtly immersive is something called 2D and without the stupid glasses and 30% up charge! How can you Hollywood drones all be so damn timid and ignorant of this?!

To top it off, the terribly designed unfit for market Dolby active shutter glasses are so narrow the field of view is dramatically cropped, which IS incredibly distracting!… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

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4

lia_384Mar 10, 2019

Manga fan you are going to be disappointed. The romance is awkward. The CGI annoys me all over the movie. It's not that bad maybe if you don't know anything about it before. The overall connection of the movie poorly composed with the lines.Manga fan you are going to be disappointed. The romance is awkward. The CGI annoys me all over the movie. It's not that bad maybe if you don't know anything about it before. The overall connection of the movie poorly composed with the lines. But it's still a movie worth to watch in the cinema.… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

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4

WaelFeb 19, 2019

Overworked and very exaggerated, while still not offering anything new, "Alita" is an enjoyable but very forgettable film. Some choices were unjustified or unnecessary (the choice to make the title character entirely out of CGI still doesn'tOverworked and very exaggerated, while still not offering anything new, "Alita" is an enjoyable but very forgettable film. Some choices were unjustified or unnecessary (the choice to make the title character entirely out of CGI still doesn't exactly resonate with me) and the sequences are just overproduced. The plotline offers nothing creative or unpredictable (I fell asleep for 20 minutes in the theater and caught up with the story just as well after I woke up), and the so-called "cliffhanger" at the end leaves no room for anticipation or suspense for a sequel. The film is however enjoyable for movie-goers who are looking for a good time, even if it doesn't present anything spectacular or even remotely new.… Expand

3 of 17 users found this helpful314

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5

RidleayRomeroFeb 17, 2019

Years ago, I watched the original video animation that this movie is heavily based on; after becoming a fan of it and reading through the entire manga up until the latest volume of the current series, this movie arrives in theaters withYears ago, I watched the original video animation that this movie is heavily based on; after becoming a fan of it and reading through the entire manga up until the latest volume of the current series, this movie arrives in theaters with intent to introduce Yukito Kishiro's cyberpunk classic to more people.
This may be Robert Rodriguez's most successful and expensive film ever. However this may be the biggest failure of James Cameron's screenwriting career.
It's like James took everything he liked about the manga and scrambled it like eggs. Some narrative plot lines are now completely deviating from it's source material, but overall I thought it was just meh. I guess the CGI was very impressive, but every time Alita smiled I couldn't help but laugh.… Expand

2 of 12 users found this helpful210

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4

CheauxFoureFeb 20, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The 2 1/2 stars i gave are for the first half of the movie. AMAZING! World building was amazing, Alita was adorable and you wanted to watch her succeed. The villains are definitely interesting in the beginning. After a bar brawl, the night shift of the editing team walked in and the hack job that ensued was such a confusing lamentable mess that it just let me wondering about all the unanswered questions that were left hanging there. Also right after that, characters started immediately doing things you wouldn't see them doing. All the motivations that were created in the first half were gone, replaced by i don't even know what. Ending was NOT satisfying. I'll probably actually buy this movie, and then watch the first half. I want to know about this world that was created, but i just don't know if i trust the team behind it to properly carry out James Cameron's vision.… Expand

2 of 12 users found this helpful210

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6

MongoMar 10, 2019

It was a fantastic first half of a movie... technically, visually, writing and acting... all top notch. The problem is that there was no conclusion. The film abruptly ends before anything is resolved in the main plot. I'm actually glad to seeIt was a fantastic first half of a movie... technically, visually, writing and acting... all top notch. The problem is that there was no conclusion. The film abruptly ends before anything is resolved in the main plot. I'm actually glad to see all of the positive reviews, because I left the theater afraid that people would be so pissed off about the abrupt ending that it would do poorly at the boxoffice, which would mean I'd never see the second half of the movie.… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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6

GrantD243Mar 12, 2019

Alita: Battle Angel is a fun time at the theater. The story is entertaining and the action scenes are fantastic. The only pitfall is that much of the dialogue is horribly written. Some of the most consistently cheesy dialogue I've heard in aAlita: Battle Angel is a fun time at the theater. The story is entertaining and the action scenes are fantastic. The only pitfall is that much of the dialogue is horribly written. Some of the most consistently cheesy dialogue I've heard in a film in a long time. Pay more attention to the visuals and the overall story, though, and it's well worth the price of admission.… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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6

QuietGiantFeb 15, 2019

F***ing terrible writing, but good visuals and action. Just be real about what you're signing up for.

3 of 19 users found this helpful316

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4

UnReelReviewsFeb 14, 2019

I didn't know what to expect from this movie, I sat in my seat thinking what kind of movie am I going to get? However after watching the film I can definitely say that it really doesn't work and this film for me just proves that anime to liveI didn't know what to expect from this movie, I sat in my seat thinking what kind of movie am I going to get? However after watching the film I can definitely say that it really doesn't work and this film for me just proves that anime to live action films really don't work, only on extremely rare occasions do these types of movies work. Now if your a fan of this anime show then you will probably be happy with this film, but I never watched the show or knew any of these characters so maybe I didn't like this film because I've never known it before. But as a movie this film is filled with so many flaws. In regards to positives this film is visually stunning, I know its only Feb but for 2019 visual effects Oscars this film should have it in the bag. There are some cool action scenes, the acting is also good. But I didn't really like anything else. Most of the others action scenes for me felt so repetitive and derivative. The villain is so underused and is just the big bad guy in the chair who sends various goons after Alita. There's a relationship that is formed between some characters that I don't feel any connection to. Basically every supporting character is useless or bland. There's also a lot of script problems, some very cringe dialogue that I don't think they're trying to make it cringe. The main plot is very messy and poorly structured and there's never truly any reason to even care about our main hero. So a very weak movie with some ok elements but a movie that left me wanting more.… Expand

3 of 19 users found this helpful316

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6

timekeeperFeb 28, 2019

It changes the dystopian story to a single love story. The special effect is very well done through.

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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6

jinxerfelixMar 8, 2019

The short version: it was fun but it could have been better.

The long version: The movie was over all a good time in the theater and the special effects were really well done. However, the story was too rushed, too focused at times onThe short version: it was fun but it could have been better.

The long version: The movie was over all a good time in the theater and the special effects were really well done. However, the story was too rushed, too focused at times on visually impressive though unimportant plot points and then blowing right through important character/relationship building moments making some motivations seem a bit thin. I do hope there's a sequel though - it deserves a fleshed out ending.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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5

moviemitch96Feb 17, 2019

I didn't have too many expectations going into this, but still ended up walking out of it pretty underwhelmed and unimpressed. It's filled with quite a few sci-fi cliches, subpar acting, dialogue, and character effects, and a story that feltI didn't have too many expectations going into this, but still ended up walking out of it pretty underwhelmed and unimpressed. It's filled with quite a few sci-fi cliches, subpar acting, dialogue, and character effects, and a story that felt neither very inspired nor all that extraordinary like the big budget and heavy advertising on this film would have you believe. Granted, the production design and background effects looked pretty great, but that's really the only pro I can think of for this film. Seriously though, the effects of the non-human characters and the big eyes on Alita just looked weird and ridiculous to me. Overall, mediocre and weird character effects, an uninspired story with clumsy dialogue, etc plenty of sci-fi cliches and tropes borrowed from many other sci-fi films, and you have what I consider to be an ambitious yet ultimately pretty corny and inferior sci-fi romp.… Expand

2 of 15 users found this helpful213

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4

TrevorsViewFeb 21, 2019

It may sound hard to believe, but the power of social media successfully ensured that AMPAS sees their vigorous hashtag trend: #PresentAll24, which means as of February 15th 2019, the Academy chose not to air four categories during commercialIt may sound hard to believe, but the power of social media successfully ensured that AMPAS sees their vigorous hashtag trend: #PresentAll24, which means as of February 15th 2019, the Academy chose not to air four categories during commercial breaks but live with the other twenty. I felt quite inspired by this passion of united Twitter users to guarantee everyone who worked hard in the film industry gets their glorious well-earned moment. As a bonus, it’s proven why Alita: Battle Angel carries no rhythmic impact on filmmakers like that of the 91st Annual Academy Award winners.

We all face decisions similar to what the Academy had to make, some for better, some for worse. Take the blue pill, and you force four categories into commercial break to shorten the show. Take the red pill, and you see equal, nondiscretionary treatment. Which sounds best? Seeing how Alita makes zero character development throughout her adventure, I guess that means she chose the blue pill, preferring what is convenient to gain a wider audience instead of what is best for everybody. Did her plan work though? Let’s take a look…

Alita lives in an Iron City that apparently lacks wealth, which isn’t easy to conclude since this high-tech India-esque area practically resembles a paradise for any sci-fi lover. Right next to Iron City rests a massive junkyard where the scraps of that sky city wind up at the end of the day. That is where Iron City obtains its supplies, and ultimately where a Doctor Frankenstein rip-off found his anime-eyed creation’s scattered parts. This means there’s no real ground to work off of, particularly when struggling to sound heartbroken through pathetic sad scenes with the atrocious actor playing her cheap boyfriend. That actor’s slothful eyes generate just one negative factor as co-writers James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez resort to stupid expository details in their worldbuilding, such as cyborg blood being turquoise for some reason other than to look cool.

As for the bigger actors, Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained, Inglourious Basterds) probably isn’t aware he’s co-leading a futile promotion of Marxism reliant on a self-righteous “chosen one” plot trope. Hence, he must’ve figured, “Why bother trying? The sound editors will improve my voice anyway!” Yes, Waltz’s pathetic accent manages to be weaker than the normalized human-robot love that throws in insincere dialogue such as, “You are the most human person that I have ever met.” (facepalm)

The same issue of acting goes to Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Requiem for a Dream). Here, she does nothing but insult the dedicated actors, actresses, supporting actors, and supporting actresses of Hollywood with her lazy demonic eyes and overly dramatic, shallow laughter from a voice deprived of security.

Now, take a minute to observe the entire Star Wars series before Disney bought them: It was nowhere near perfect (in fact, the original trilogy is just okay), but still attempted decency with its audience… until the prequels attacked. Yes, it’s at least acceptable in the visuals big and small, as the Battle Angel’s almost square jet-black hair matches the Plutocratic sky city; just don’t count on there being any memorability from Alita, even if the cinematic quality leans closer toward the Star Wars originals than the prequels.

Although the setup deserves some praise for sure, as does some awesome fight choreography to appropriately set the numerous emotional roller coaster peaks in a way that allows them all to complement each other. After Alita first comes back to life, without any surviving memories, she disdainfully eats an orange, peel and all, as if it were an apple, but ends up liking the fruit once peeled, and later loves chocolate even more; these moments of revelation prove to be effective in raising your spirits. To contrast that orange color reflected onto the heat-tinted city, she wears a gentle shirt of delicious damson that makes her look alienated on the streets full of roller bladers. It leaves to little surprise why Alita connects easily with a dog, a bond that later breaks your heart.

Too bad though that Alita: Battle Angel remains at the end of the day another mere piece of white noise forgotten amongst the genuinely terrific motion pictures, those that social media users believe are worth speaking up to the Academy about, those that prove unity through a common passion. There’s nothing of significance this movie will do to the personal legacies on Robert Rodriguez or James Cameron beyond what they did in the past, it’s just filler to make time and money for greater projects… such as those numerous Avatar sequels. While we can allow the cinema arts to grow year after year, sadly not every movie can be saved from mediocrity.… Expand

2 of 16 users found this helpful214

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6

MrMovieBuffFeb 28, 2019

I was surprised that I enjoyed 'Alita: Battle Angel' as much as I did. The movie is your typical futuristic/ruins movie with a cliched plot, characters and dialogue, but I did find myself engaged and caring, plus, the special effects areI was surprised that I enjoyed 'Alita: Battle Angel' as much as I did. The movie is your typical futuristic/ruins movie with a cliched plot, characters and dialogue, but I did find myself engaged and caring, plus, the special effects are undeniably terrific. Directed by Robert Rodriguez ('Sin City'), and a screenplay adapted by James Cameron ('T2' and 'Titanic') it's based on the Japanese manga series by Yukito Kishiro and follows the story of its title character, Alita (Rosa Salazar) who was found abandoned and buried with just her head piece in the scraps, she was found by Dr, Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) who repairs her, and when she awakes, she has no memory of where she came from. Ido tries to help her remember as her brain remains intact and she does get constant flashes from time to time where she appeared to be among warriors. Ido warns Alita that the outside world can be dangerous, and she is also told about a slightly wealthier world located just above (this may remind you of 'Elysium'). Alita meets a kind young man named Hugo (Keean Johnson) who has taken an active interest in Alita and they regularly hang out and have fun in which she takes up a hobby in competing in a sport called "Motorball". Ido feels a great amount of concern for Alita, and warns her about the dangers in the world, as well as her discovering what Ido really does. There is a villain in this movie, Vector (Mahershala Ali) who is a little one-dimensional, just appearing on screen with a blank look on his face and carrying an intimidating presence. To keep it short, I admired this movie, it's not great, the pacing does get a little off somewhere in the middle, and the dialogue (mostly the romantic dialogue) is very cheesy, but I did find myself getting emotionally invested in the father/daughter relationship between Waltz's character and Alita, as well as the amazing action scenes (particularly the Motorball sequences) where state-of-the-art CGI is at the top. Clearly, this is a James Cameron project, if you could see this in either 3D, IMAX, or even 4D, it's an experience worth living. Don't go in for the story too much, but go for the ride.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

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5

ParisonealMar 26, 2019

Let me begin this by saying I really wanted to like this movie. Even watched it a 2nd time hoping I overlooked something or maybe I was just in a mood, but it got even worse the 2nd time. The only saving grace to this movie (though at timesLet me begin this by saying I really wanted to like this movie. Even watched it a 2nd time hoping I overlooked something or maybe I was just in a mood, but it got even worse the 2nd time. The only saving grace to this movie (though at times were a bit over the top) were the special effects, but honestly, if you didn't see this movie in 3D you missed out on the movie's only good quality. As for the 3D, though good, especially during the fight scenes that they obviously put a lot of time and effort into, most times felt like a flat experience having you forget you were in a 3D movie (though pay special attention to crowd scenes like the early scenes in the marketplace, you can see great depth between people which very well may be overlooked because done so well). But none of the effects were so good to make you overlook the cringe-worthy dialogue/acting. Which I couldn't tell if they are just bad actors that couldn't bring the words to life and speak them as actual human beings interact, or if the script was just that bad. Either way, the end result is the same. Beyond that, the character development was severely lacking, and outside of Alita I found myself constantly trying to remind myself what each character’s name is. To cap it all off for me was the forced love story, that goes from meeting each other to “I would die for you” in what seems 2 days time. This movie is a catch22, because the movie I believe at best is wait for it to come to Redbox/FX, but then you miss out on the 3D effects that make the movie watchable, but then it's not worth the exorbitant amount they charge for 3D movies.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

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5

alvindinoMar 11, 2019

All of the top-notch technical qualities are not matched by the quality of the script Alita: Battle Angel. The story is really standard like other Apocalyptic Young Adult films. The characters are really bland, especially the actor Hugo,All of the top-notch technical qualities are not matched by the quality of the script Alita: Battle Angel. The story is really standard like other Apocalyptic Young Adult films. The characters are really bland, especially the actor Hugo, played by debutant Keean Johnson, who is not good enough and sympathetic. Keean is like there is no charisma in playing a male hero. Then, Christoph Waltz the 2 Oscars winner is quite wasted here. Meanwhile, Mahershala Ali had previously finished filming Alita before winning an Oscar thanks to the film Moonlight and Green Book, acting pretty well. He was able to show as a cruel and cold antagonist.

Actually the basic character of Alita is enough to attract sympathy from the audience, he is a person who is truly innocent and willing to help others. But the development of the character runs slowly, only at the end of the audience just found out who is Alita. Unfortunately when the audience has started to pervade the character, the film is suddenly left hanging as if to signal the existence of a sequel. This causes an anticlimax. Stunning visual quality like the movie Avatar and eye-popping 3D effects that really spoil the eye is not enough to cover the standard story and the bland and non-developing characters. New audiences are attracted to the characters towards the end of the story, but unfortunately more films are left anticlimactic so that later there will be a sequel (if successful).… Expand

1 of 10 users found this helpful19

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6

Live2RiseMar 5, 2019

If you want my fair unbiased opinion, “Alita: Battle Angel” would have to be the profound definition of what style over substance is but at least the style is actually worth looking at because again it looks freakin’ gorgeous. How real someIf you want my fair unbiased opinion, “Alita: Battle Angel” would have to be the profound definition of what style over substance is but at least the style is actually worth looking at because again it looks freakin’ gorgeous. How real some of these characters look, the way the fight scenes play out as well as how the world building progresses with each passing scene shows off James Cameron’s expertise and how and where Robert Rodriguez plans to take this series if it gets the chance to do so. So from a distance viewpoint, it’s close to reaching Avatar spectacle levels but unfortunately beneath the surface, that means the storyline, the tone and the screenplay initially have to suffer as a result. Storyline is nothing special but it feels cluttered just because of how much they crammed under two hours, tones switch from time to time and if you ask me, this film is unapologetic about the fact that it’s an anime and that its style over substance because it is in your face. The only saving grace there is around that substance revolves around the characters, specially Alita, because they are fun to see.

I will give credit where credit is due cause both Rodriguez and Cameron worked their asses off to make this as real, as believable, as enjoyable as possible and if you’re down for a sci-fi slugfest, then you got where your money’s worth. Otherwise, lower your expectations to get a more subtle experience in the theater.

Verdict: 6.5/10… Expand

1 of 11 users found this helpful110

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4

wesseldjFeb 27, 2019

This was an unnecessary adaptation of the Japanese Anime. Although a CGI fest, but the special effects didn't add much to the story and didn't contributed in the visualization of the world where Alita resides in. You are as confused aboutThis was an unnecessary adaptation of the Japanese Anime. Although a CGI fest, but the special effects didn't add much to the story and didn't contributed in the visualization of the world where Alita resides in. You are as confused about this world before, as you are after watching this movie. This is a perfectly good example that extreme use of CGI galore doesn't make a good movie, and even makes it lacking some soul.

The original main theme of the Anime is the childlike innocence relationship between Hugo and Alita. But in this live action movie that relationship was a bit under the radar, and it got replaced by fast paced illogical action sequences. Many people who saw the movie gets the wrong impressions. It didn't capture the essence of the manga. This movie shouldn't be about Alita alone, it's about the people around her.

As for the CGI. I know that Alita is supposed to be a Cyborg, but her emotions on screen are a bit fake. Gestures and smiles were often misplaced. However she is also too much CGI to look like a Cyborg. Maybe it would have worked better to use a human face instead of a CGI generated one. Especially when all other Cyborgs in this movie did use human faces which made it look more natural. And with Alita being the only one CGI generated, it seemed a little bit off...

It doesn't have the gritty and cyberpunk feel of the original anime/manga. The dialogues were plain and not memorable. Character building is not well fleshed out, and that is maybe due to poor casting. The role of Hugo was highly underestimated and needed a bigger caliber young actor to fully display its persona. Hugo was a big part what drives Alita, and Hugos insane obsession with the Sky City Zalem didn't got through in this movie. The movie didnt make you feel anything for the characters, and that was the main thing that made the Anime a success in the first place.… Expand

1 of 16 users found this helpful115

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4

UncleWillardJul 28, 2019

Now I get why Speed Racer didn't do better. It really makes a difference if you're into the comics/cartoons with these two movies. I was in the incredulous camp after SR didn't do as well as I thought it should. It was , for me, a great,Now I get why Speed Racer didn't do better. It really makes a difference if you're into the comics/cartoons with these two movies. I was in the incredulous camp after SR didn't do as well as I thought it should. It was , for me, a great, live-action depiction of an anime classic. But not everyone watched it when they were kids and that absolutely played into its box office performance.

Alita suffered the same I feel. I knew nothing about it, and it seems like there's a loved in world going on, but I never lived in it. For me, it was a YA cash grab that fell short. Kinda reminded me of SR and Robots. It lacked depth that I'm positive was provided elsewhere. And it came off extremely silly at times.

On another note, I find it funny now that its marketers tried to use a "hey, at least it's not Captain Marvel" strategy. Nope, ots not, and I have to admit the plot was better, but not by much. The eyes didn't bother me, tbh, but ironically, Christoph Waltz' hat did.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

zNeverSleepingSep 11, 2020

Alita: Battle Angel entrega ótimas cenas de luta, um universo graficamente interessante, com uma fotografia excelente que sabe aproveitar muito as expressões fácil da protagonista, porém, o filme não aproveita todo potencial e acaba seAlita: Battle Angel entrega ótimas cenas de luta, um universo graficamente interessante, com uma fotografia excelente que sabe aproveitar muito as expressões fácil da protagonista, porém, o filme não aproveita todo potencial e acaba se rendendo a apenas um passa tempo.

Nisso, a obra não faz mal. Fiquei preso até o fim, mas a falta de Lore Content e personagens realmente bem feitos me afastaram da trama. Tínhamos atores como: Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali e Edward Norton, mas eles pareciam estar ali apenas pelo rosto. Contudo, Rosa Salazar brilha em dar vida a Alita, expressando um enorme sentimento nas expressões e passando uma sensação agradável que nos ganha fácil.

No entanto, não foi o suficiente para elevar o nível do filme. É um bom entretenimento, mas o que deixa triste é que poderia ser be mais.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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4

KayitsJan 5, 2020

The movie plot and play was incredible. Dr. Ido and alita's relationship seems to fall out prematurely.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

DukeJonJan 28, 2022

Big eyed fighting girl in the uncanny valley city of the future. There's a much more interesting backstory hinted at, but much like the world building it isn't explored in any satisfying way. Instead we get robot wars fistfights and a cringeBig eyed fighting girl in the uncanny valley city of the future. There's a much more interesting backstory hinted at, but much like the world building it isn't explored in any satisfying way. Instead we get robot wars fistfights and a cringe love story between a human being and some spare parts in the shape of a pre-pubescent girl. I haven't been this creeped out since I watched the love scenes between a human and an insect in "Bee movie". There's a weird assortment of grotesque cyborgs (reminding me of the movie A.I.) a futuristic sport which reminds me of rollerball, and an evil overlord in the sky city. One huge let down with this movie is there isn't a proper conclusion; some underling bad guys get their comeuppance but the main antagonist is left for a sequel that will never happen.… Expand