[Film] Alita: Battle Angel

[silvermoonlight]

re: spoiler

Yeah, this movie deserves credit for giving a female protagonist the kind of arc and plot points that are usually reserved for male characters.

SPOILER: Show

Yeah and just wanted to say something regarding that as they could have really damsel in distressed Hugo or made him out to be really weak as this is normally the problematic trope that comes with these kinds of movies. Yet they stay well clear of this at no point even at his worst moment is Hugo painted this way he's painted as a young guy who just made real bad choices and is humanly flawed and really respected them for this. Because I don't like the strong woman narrative which undermines male characters or robs them of being complete people and yes the movies has him saying oh my girlfriend is super powerful she can rip your arms off but its said with pure and utter admiration and with out any form of jealousy or annoyance.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

Damn, I’m actually pretty interested in watching this movie, and I wasn’t expecting that.

[The Eva Monkey]

The Eva Monkey, did you see it in 3D?

2D. I'm not into 3D.

That sounds wrong...

[Chuckman]

heh

Seriously though I doubt I'd have enjoyed it in 2D. The visuals are pretty much the point. If you don't like 3D this movie probably doesn't have much to offer you.

[Kazuki_Fuse]

Had a lot of fun seeing this tonight with some friends. I went in with pretty low expectations and ended up coming out contemplating pre-ordering the blu ray so that shows how enjoyable I thought it was.

[Dartz]

I still want to see it again, 4 weeks later.

I haven't met anyone sensible who hated it. Most people liked it. Most people I've spoken to personally loved it. And I understand the hangups people might have - but at the same time I had such a good time watching it that I just didn't care.

Fuck it, if I'd won that Euromillions there recently I'dve merrily offered to bankroll the next one for shits and giggles.

It's fun and you can reach into the screen and touch the world it's in.

[robersora]

I will be watching it this Sunday, I'm very curious about it.

[child of Lilith]

Watched it twice. Just as good the second time.

[Gendo'sPapa]

It's VERY good.

I was doubtful of the production knowing it was basically all shot on a soundstage but the effects work and world-building was so good I was gladly proven wrong. I've seen it twice already - once in 3D - and may try to catch it one more time before Captain Marvel takes over every screen in the nation.

The film is doing better than prognosticators expected - a month ago it wasn't expected to hit $50 million in the US - and while I'm fearful the sequel won't happen - if they do get the chance to make a sequel Cameron & Rodriguez should settle on closing the story in Part 2 and not aim for a trilogy or anything more - it did do very well in China and with combined ancillary sales - I see this being a VERY BIG home video seller - I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[silvermoonlight]

It's VERY good.

I was doubtful of the production knowing it was basically all shot on a soundstage but the effects work and world-building was so good I was gladly proven wrong. I've seen it twice already - once in 3D - and may try to catch it one more time before Captain Marvel takes over every screen in the nation.

The film is doing better than prognosticators expected - a month ago it wasn't expected to hit $50 million in the US - and while I'm fearful the sequel won't happen - if they do get the chance to make a sequel Cameron & Rodriguez should settle on closing the story in Part 2 and not aim for a trilogy or anything more - it did do very well in China and with combined ancillary sales - I see this being a VERY BIG home video seller - I'll keep my fingers crossed.

This is the first movie in two and a half years which I walked out off and said I think this deserves a sequel and I don't care if I have to wait five years for it, all I want is for to be on the same scale and treated with the same integrity and depth as the first and for Cameron and Rodriguez to be firmly behind that wheel. Its also changed my thinking towards the up coming Terminator which I was worried about but its clear that Cameron has still got it and he's really developed his female characters beyond the 90's versions and listened to some of the faults pointed out in his older works.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

I finally saw this movie yesterday and had a BLAST. As I said before (probably in another thread) Hollywood’s capitalizing of 90’s nostalgia is gonna be very Japanese-centric. (So far we’ve already had Power Rangers, Alita, GitS, and Pokemon.) If future American adaptations of anime are gonna be as tonally on point as Alita Battle Angel, then I can’t wait. This is the first adaptation of an anime that I feel has the correct approach to anime fans in general. Granted, I haven’t explored the original source materials, so I can’t speak to being tonally on point to its original source. (That’s next in my list.) But even distancing myself from the sources I HAVE seen of American adaptations, Alita still seems better executed. I’ve wayched and read the original GitS before the Scarlet Johansson film, and disregarding its source, the live action film still felt like a boring version of The Matrix. Unlike thay film, Alita feels fresh and new throughout.

So yeah, I really liked this movie. I’m gonna try to watch it a few more times in theaters. I managed to catch the IMAX 3D, and I loved the experience.

[robersora]

^
Ghost in the Shell Hollywood was also weirdly anti-technology as opposed to Gits critical but general positive outlook on technology. Either way, while I liked how they made Gits look, it didn't really mesh with what I think Gits would look like. Maybe because it seemed like a cheap version of Blade Runner.
I'
Anyways, Alita was amazing, I had a blast! I can't remember the last time my ♥ was pounding during an action sequence. Very well done. I'm sad it kinda bombed on box office.

[The Eva Monkey]

I'm sad it kinda bombed on box office.

Yeah, it's a little disappointing. After doing some vague math, it looks like they're about 75% to breaking even. That's not taking into account the long tail of home video, streaming, etc. And it's also not taking into account the marketing budget, which is almost never included in the production budget. I imagine the film will eventually break even, but unless it becomes a hit on home video, we're not getting a sequel. SORRY EDWARD NORTON.

[Chuckman]

Don’t forget the international market.

Also, if Cameron wants another one, it will get made.

[The Eva Monkey]

Don’t forget the international market.

Also, if Cameron wants another one, it will get made.

I didn't forget, I looked at domestic and international ticket sales, did a quick calculation of returns, and figured that the film is probably only about 75% to breaking even.

My understanding is that with film investors/financing, they (1) don't care too much about international, and (2) they don't care too much about the long tail of pay per view, on-demand, home video, syndication, streaming, etc. Generally speaking (and correct me if I'm wrong) most studios and investors for big films like this want to see a film exceed its production cost domestically before they think about producing a sequel.

I'm sure Cameron's got a bunch of money in the bank, and a solid track record, but if it doesn't make financial sense, I don't see it happening. I'm fairly confident that we won't see a sequel. I'll be happy to be wrong. A sequel would take the world and story beyond what I've seen, and I doubt I'll ever take the time to sit down and read the manga.

[Gendo'sPapa]

Would love an Alita: Battle Angel sequel to close out the story, but unless this does record breaking home video sales - which it could, I feel every anime nerd who doesn't solely torrent everything across the globe will want to own a physical copy - the math isn't there.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmende ... accb287023

There's a slim chance a Pacific Rim type scenario could occur - a sequel happens because the studio thinks a Part 2 could really deliver now that people have seen the first and unlike PR: Uprising it's a guaranteed James Cameron would stay fully involved with the sequel since it's a passion of his - OR more likely if Avatar 2 & Avatar 3 do absolute gangbusters business it's possible Cameron will have the clout at Disney/Fox to get Alita 2 going for Robert Rodriguez or someone else before he dives back into finishing work on Avatar 4 & Avatar 5. If the world falls in love with Cameron's universe of Pandora again in 2020 & 2021- very likely - having a fresh "From the Writers & Producers of the AVATAR Series" be the main selling point of an Alita sequel will be a much more enticing draw to general audiences than "From the team that made that one movie almost a decade ago".

So as of 2019, I'd say a sequel is almost guaranteed not to happen. But, two - or even one - massively successful James Cameron directed Avatar sequels could make it happen. Since the film underperformed I wouldn't listen to any rumors or talk of an Alita 2 until 2021 at the earliest.

Of course, once James Cameron finishes his Avatar Saga in 2025 - I'll be genuinely surprised if he doesn't get to make all his planned sequels but he has admitted if 2 & 3 underperform then 4 & 5 will be scrapped and apparently his saga has been written & mapped out in such a way that it could end perfectly at Part 3 or Part 5 - if Cameron said "I want to direct Alita 2 & 3" then they'll fucking happen tout suite.

[BiQ]

I saw this yesterday, and I loved it. I'm a little bit miffed about how Hugo's character was casted but I overall characterization of everyone is close enough for me to not really care. Some minor plot points got changed but the people are spot on, especially Alita and Ido, even with the...

Ido's character in the movie  SPOILER: Show

...surrogate daughter thing which is weird but not actually all that hard to believe from how I read Ido in the manga.

--- and I doubt I'll ever take the time to sit down and read the manga.

You really should, it's only 9 volumes and it's literally one of the greatest mangas ever made.. No, you really don't need to bother with Last Order or Mars Chronicles if you don't want to.

I'm banking my hopes for a sequel on what Gendo'sPapa said on both Pacific Rim -type scenario and Cameron's possible clout if Avatar sequels end up printing obscene amounts of money. Hey, it could happen!

[BlueBasilisk]

I have mixed feelings on the movie. The VFX were fantastic and Rosa Salazar was excellent as Alita. I really enjoyed the first two-thirds or so but in the final third I felt like it stumbled hard and did some things that left a bad taste in my mouth. Didn't really care for it upon leaving the theater. If you've seen the movie you probably know right where it happened. I don't regret seeing it but I'm not sure I'll buy the BD.

[Blockio]

Late to the party, but I really enjoyed the movie when I watched it. So much in fact that I wanted to go and see it a second time, but that was not to be unfortunately