Post by Darthtabby on Jan 2, 2014 23:13:58 GMT -7
I was recently reminded of this 2011 movie because of a soon to start airing TV series that is set in the same world. Despite the cheesy sounding title, its a very good movie. Had I actually seen it in 2011 I might have chosen it as my favorite anime movie of that year.
The plot of the movie is simple. Charles Kirino is looked down upon for being a bestado of mixed Levamme and Amatsuvian heritage, but he has one thing going for him: he's an exceptional pilot. When Amatsuvian forces blockade and lay siege to the Levamme colony of San Maltilia, Charles is offered the job of a lifetime: utilizing a high speed scout aircraft named the Santa Cruz, he must evade Amatsuvian forces and transport a single passenger 12,000 kilometers to safety. That passenger: one Juana del Moral, the daughter of San Maltilia's wealthiest family and the fiance of the Levamme Empire's Crown Prince.
Actually the story is a bit deeper than that, but even so one of this movie's strengths is its simplicity. Its short, well paced and well focused. It manages to pack world building, character development, aerial action and a satisfying conclusion into a run time of less than one hundred minutes.
Well okay, opinions on whether the ending is satisfactory are rather divided. Personally I felt it fit the movie, but others wanted something a bit different. There are also complaints about the movie as an adaptation, but I personally don't think those hold much water -I didn't read the translation of the original novel in its entirety but in some ways I think the movie actually improved on it!
The plot of the movie is simple. Charles Kirino is looked down upon for being a bestado of mixed Levamme and Amatsuvian heritage, but he has one thing going for him: he's an exceptional pilot. When Amatsuvian forces blockade and lay siege to the Levamme colony of San Maltilia, Charles is offered the job of a lifetime: utilizing a high speed scout aircraft named the Santa Cruz, he must evade Amatsuvian forces and transport a single passenger 12,000 kilometers to safety. That passenger: one Juana del Moral, the daughter of San Maltilia's wealthiest family and the fiance of the Levamme Empire's Crown Prince.
Actually the story is a bit deeper than that, but even so one of this movie's strengths is its simplicity. Its short, well paced and well focused. It manages to pack world building, character development, aerial action and a satisfying conclusion into a run time of less than one hundred minutes.
Well okay, opinions on whether the ending is satisfactory are rather divided. Personally I felt it fit the movie, but others wanted something a bit different. There are also complaints about the movie as an adaptation, but I personally don't think those hold much water -I didn't read the translation of the original novel in its entirety but in some ways I think the movie actually improved on it!