This is the first of
three reviews as part of my post analysis covering the very well executed REEL
Anime 2010 that wrapped up today in Melbourne and interstate. Overall it was
an incredibly successful event (making the top 20 box office sales) held
by Madman highlighting some seriously brilliant Japanese anime.
A gorgeously detailed,
action packed but ultimately hollow package that focuses on the base elements
of a cult sensation in order recap the series and draw in a new audience.
This is how I would not
describe Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance. The prior description applies
solely to the barely reboot level of the phenomenon in the guise of 1.0 You Are
(Not) Alone. Comparable to the delight of the wholly new
and genuinely exciting alternate path that 2.0 has taken, for
long-time fans of the show 1.0 is almost an irrelevant viewing and even
slightly disappointing. This feeling followed me into 2.0, but after the
opening credits; new and exciting characters and details emerged and before
long the movie took on a life of its own, and is near perfect for it.
All of the positive
elements of 1.0 are present here; the focus on stunning visuals and the less
serious demeanour that is a nice break from the extreme angst of the
series. 1.0, however, was far from perfect, and it seems Gainax have listened
as 2.0 improves on it in every conceivable way. It is vintage Evangelion; the
nods and winks to past events, the fan service and yes some angst, but it is
all handled in a more mature way. In regards to the pacing every serious,
comedic and action-oriented scene flows well into each other and this gives all
of the characters a more grounded sense of realism as the mundane every day within
the turmoil both internal and external are stressed. Even their attitudes and
personalities of excessive stubbornness and unnatural depression in
the series, is given a looser more human feel.
As in the series, each
main character's introduction is given a very important feel; their entry to
Tokyo-3 and NERV is completely revamped, updated and the execution is a love
letter to all the fans, particularly the soundtrack, which is as strong as ever
and an integral part of the intensity and sincerity of the battles and the
various interactions in 2.0.
2.0 sets viewers in
the midst of what would normally be the half -way mark of the series. The
intentions, secrets and undeveloped plot are quickly revealed, in a seamless
style of witty dialog and straight-talking between Gendo, Kaji, Misato and
the rest of the cast. This time the cards are on the table and unlike the
series, there is much more space to breathe and take all of this information in
as it is newly revealed and diverges from the original. One famous scene from
the series where Shinji helps Kaji water his garden is given more immediacy and
impact here, as previous he states to Shinji "when I am gone, please water
my melons" but in 2.0 he says, in a more believable manner "protect
Katsuragi for me."
The pangs of nostalgia
are the highlights of 2.0, essentially taking every great scene and enhancing
it beyond the original. In line with the series corruption and preservation are
underlying themes that serve to support the central plot of the human
instrumentality project, rebuilding life as we know it and half of the central
concepts are given a complete re-haul.
Gainax have really
upped the ante, everything is bigger, clearer and more immediate, especially the
Angels, as they make their way to NERV HQ and the Geofront, each one much more
powerful and destructive than the last, in what is an uphill battle for the
Evangelion units as each battle raises the stakes higher than ever culminating
into a truly mouth-wide-open finale duel.
Some of the changes
are not quite as subtle, mainly to let long-time fans know that the changes were
intentional. I particularly enjoyed Toji losing a chocolate wrapper prize and
stating "Damn didn't get lucky" in the midst of choosing the new
pilot for the Angel Evangelion, it even later shows him in hospital with his
now recovered sister; another welcome deviation from the doom and gloom.
However, there can be no advancement as the title stresses, as the pilot of
that Angel is severely injured. Shinji, although with much
more humility and strength still 'runs away' after he finds out who
it was.
In closing, this is,
dare I say, better than the original series. It improves on each key sequence
and story element in such a major way it is quite hard to look back, although
at the same time it is also hard to advance. Each character is given more hope,
more depth; Rei blocking Asuka's slap in the infamous long lift scene was a
very shocking but cathartic moment, and there are many like this. The cruel
world, the nature of the beast is the final judgment however, and every element
of the show recedes to welcome the inevitable apocalypse, only it does it
in such a masterful way that it is truly hard to fault Evangelion 2.0, both in
terms of its method and its madness.