A missed opportunity in many ways, however impressive it may be in parts... couldn't make my mind up all day as to if I should post this on the front, but here you go - it's fair and balanced, I think. We've covered this film a lot over the recent months, so now is your chance to go out and see it, get your hands on it - and then let us know what you think.
The ultimate fan project brought to fruition, a 25-minute tribute to kaiju moviesdone with CGI (compositing, modelling, editing) thats an original yet all-too-familiar story. Some of the shots and sequences are as good as you would hope (great modelling, lovely shot design and style that's effectively almost convincing as reality), unfortunately the human characters and story are less than second place to nicely created environments for the monsters to fight in (and those bits are too brief), and the modelling of the monsters themselves, which is superb.
I wouldn't say i would consider Awazu someone who should or could go on to do anything else, though were likely to see more of the same from him, he is more likely someone with an individual aim (a Kaiju tribute) thats managed to get it made more than someone with a history or future of telling stories or making this or other kinds of films regularly - not only because of his desires, but it's not exactly a necessary way to make such films, man in rubber suit need not worry, even though its easier than ever to make a large-scale film, thanks to cheap and powerful computer technology, there's clearly something wrong if 25-minutes takes you more than two years...
A disappointment in a way, the stuff works incredibly well as a highlights-trailer, but the battles and impressive imagery are small segments of something thats a lot less impressive in most places. double-edged sword, CGI being a tool and CGI being something thats easy to be in awe of, and at the same time its just another way of making imagery and everything else needs to be in place just as much as any film production style. If someone walks up to Awazu now, gives him a large lump of cash and says to put together a large team for a feature film of this style, then it would be a project i would be interested in seeing (if done with less selfish motivation) but otherwise I fear he'll either fade away or just keep trudging out more of the same short movies that are just nice hints at something so much better within him.
The disc, looking to be filled-to-the-brim, is actually the usual stuff we get everywhere - interviews and trailers, not much of real substance (apart from the superb liner notes subtitle track), infact it just provides more snippets of information that convince me Awazu is lucky to have had the chance and cash to make the film, that this is essential his only aim fulfilled right here in 'Negadon', especially thanks to the inclusion of two earlier more amateurish attempts at this tribute. The image seems far too dark, almost impossible to see whats going on at times, and it covers a multitude of flaws in the simpler shots - the more vibrant footage of the crafts, planes, creatures are often very nicely done and much more rich - it's an interesting oddity, not something i can see many fully exploring or wanting to rewatch again and again. Shame - someone give him $10m now and I would want that decent version though... but no more shorts, please.