I recently saw this film and was less than impressed. I am an anime fan, but disliked this movie. Before you tear me up for 'not getting it', or 'only liking anime for the sex and violence', let me explain that neither of those points are true. Patlabor 2 did have incredible, albeit boring visuals to compliment its deep, albeit boring story. The main character constantly waxes philosophical about war, peace, and society, usually while looking at the city or riding in a car on a periodically lit street. This all combines to create an unspectacular, overlong, story with too much talking and too little doing. This would've been better as a monologue by the Captain, and not as an attempted action movie. In that same vein, GIANT ROBOTS that only once get used! Even the one and only battle scene is slow. If I wanted philosophies on War and Peace, I'd read Tolstoy. Let the giant mechs do what they do best, beat the crap outta other robots. This movie tried to do too much and disappointed at all. To explain my subject line: I believe that those who compliment this movie would've walked out if it had been presented as a live- action film. 5/10 only for the nice visuals and what little learning anyone can glean from the philosophical police captain.
Review of Patlabor 2: The Movie
