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IF YOU WANT HIGH OCTANE, IN YOUR FACE, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BUT GO WITH IT KIND OF FUN
THEN YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE BECAUSE DEAD LEAVES IS ALL THAT AND MORE
THE ACTION IS HARD TO FOLLOW BUT FUN TO WATCH
WITH BRIGHT COLORS AND HUGE EXPLOSIONS CONSTANTLY FILLING THE SCREEN
ALL OF WHICH IS ACCENTUATED BY IMPOSSIBLE BODY MOVEMENTS AND, APPARENTLY, UNLIMITED AMMUNITION
THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MORE POPULAR FLCL
WILL FIND MUCH OF THE SAME HERE
IN FACT, HIROYUKI IMAISHI, DEAD LEAVES' DIRECTOR, WORKED ON FLCL AS WELL
AND HE WOULD LATER GO ON TO DIRECT GURREN LAGANN AND *** AND STOCKING
HIS ZANY, OVER THE TOP STYLE IS EASILY RECOGNIZABLE
AND FANS SHOULD HAVE LITTLE TROUBLE JUMPING BETWEEN HIS WORKS WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT
BUT, I'M GETTING A LITTLE AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE LET'S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING
DEAD LEAVES OPENS UP WITH OUR TWO MAIN CHARACTERS, RETRO AND PANDY
WHO HAVE NAMED EACH OTHER SOLELY BASED ON THEIR FACES
THEY WAKE UP NAKED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH NO MEMORY OF WHO THEY ARE OR HOW THEY GOT THERE
THEY ARE ALSO COLD, HUNGRY, AND MERE MILES AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN TOKYO
SO, OF COURSE, THE LOGICAL ACTION WOULD BE TO START A CRIME SPREE
NOT EVEN TWO MINUTES INTO THE MOVIE, RETRO AND PANDY GO ON A RAMPAGE
BUT ARE EVENTUALLY CAPTURED BY THE POLICE AND SENT TO DEAD LEAVES
AN ORBITAL SPACE PRISON ON THE NEARLY DESTROYED MOON
HERE IS WHERE THE MOVIE BEGINS PROPER AND ALL THE PLOT POINTS COME INTO PLAY
RETRO AND PANDY, ALONG WITH THE MANY EXPENDABLE PRISONERS THAT THEY FREE,
TRY TO BREAK THROUGH THE SECURITY DEFENSES AND ESCAPE DEAD LEAVES
ALONG THE WAY, THE GAPS IN THEIR MEMORIES ARE FILLED AND THEIR PAST IS REVEALED
THE PLOT ITSELF ISN'T BREAKING ANY NEW GROUND AS IT'S PRETTY MUCH ANY OLD PRISON BREAK MOVIE
BUT THIS TIME COUPLED WITH OVERPOWERED AND MYSTERIOUS LEADERS
WHO ARE GOING UP AGAINST AN OVERPOWERED AND INSANE WARDEN
SO BASICALLY, THE LAST CASTLE ON CRACK
BUT THE STORY ISN'T WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR
YOU'RE HERE FOR THE 'SPLOSIONS AND DEAD LEAVES DELIVERS
AS I SAID BEFORE, THE ACTION IS FAST AND HARD TO FOLLOW BUT DAMN IS IT FUN TO WATCH
GUNS, SWORDS, AND WHAT HAVE YOU ARE CONSTANTLY PULLED OUT OF EVERYONE'S COLLECTIVE ***
AND THE SHEER SCALE OF DESTRUCTION IS HILARIOUSLY EXAGGERATED
ALL OF THIS IS WONDERFULLY COMPLIMENTED BY THE UNIQUE ARTSTYLE
EVERYTHING IS DRAWN VERY FAST AND IN A CAREFREE WAY GIVING THE ANIMATION A VERY CHARMING STYLE
SOUND EFFECTS ARE LITERALLY DRAWN ON THE SCREEN AND FLOAT AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE
AND THE IMAGE IS ALWAYS GETTING NARROWED OR SPLIT UP
ALL OF THIS GIVES DEAD LEAVES A UNIQUE COMIC BOOK FEEL
THAT IS RARELY PULLED OFF SO WELL
THE VOICE OVERS AND MUSIC ALSO COMPLETE THIS ASPECT VERY WELL
EVERY CHARACTER IS EXTREMELY CRASS AND RUDE
THIS IS ALSO APPARENTLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY RETRO AND PANDY WERE ARRESTED IN THE FIRST PLACE
LUCKILY, THE DIALOG IS KEPT CREATIVE SO YOU RARELY HEAR THE SAME CURSES REPEATED
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAITHFUL THIS ENGLISH DUB IS TO THE ORIGINAL
BUT ON IT'S OWN MERITS, IT DOES A DAMN FINE JOB
EVERY CHARACTER IS UNIQUE AND WONDERFULLY FUN TO LISTEN TO
THE MUSICAL SOUNDTRACK IS ALSO JUST AS FUN WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT STYLES GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE
YOU'VE GOT JAZZ FUSION
SOME KIND OF FAT GUY SINGING IN A CLASSIC ITALIAN PIZZA BISTRO
AND, HELL, LET'S THROW IN SOME OFF THE WALL TECHNO WHILE WE'RE AT IT
WITHOUT A CLEAR, CENTRAL THEME OF MUSIC IT CAN BE HARD TO REALLY PIN DOWN WHAT DEAD LEAVES IS GOING FOR
BUT THAT'S THE POINT DEAD LEAVES IS BEING ALL OVER THE PLACE ON PURPOSE
IT'S NOT TRYING TO BE CLEAR AND CONCISE, IT JUST SETS IT'S PLAYLIST TO SHUFFLE AND GOES WITH IT
AND IT DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB KEEPING UP
WHICH IS WHY IT SUCKS THAT THE MUSIC ISN'T LOUDER
IT'S LOUD ENOUGH IN MOST PLACES AND I'M GLAD THAT IT NEVER BECOMES INTRUSIVE
BUT I STILL FEEL AS IF THE MUSIC COULD HAVE PLAYED A LARGER ROLE
NOW ALL THIS TALK ABOUT BIG EXPLOSIONS AND FUN MUSIC DOESN'T MEAN THE WHOLE MOVIE IS JUST MINDLESS
IN FACT, DEAD LEAVES IS PACKED TO THE BRIM WITH BACKGROUND NARRATIVE
FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE AND CIVILIANS ARE ALL COPY PASTED CARICATURES OF EACH OTHER
WHILE THE PRISONERS ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH ANY ONCE OF PERSONALITY
THE ELITE MEMBERS OF THE PRISON ARE ALSO INCREDIBLY UNIQUE
BUT THEY'RE ALSO INCREDIBLY INSANE
DEAD LEAVES IS ASKING YOU NOT TO GET SWEPT UP IN SOCIETAL NORMS
AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO BREAK THE RULES IF YOU HAVE TO
OTHERWISE, YOU'LL END UP LIKE A THROWAWAY BLANK SLATE THAT NO ONE REMEMBERS
THE OTHER, MORE MAJOR COMMENTARY DEAD LEAVES SEEMS TO BE GIVING OFF
IS IT'S COMMENTARY ON ANIME IN GENERAL
PLOT POINTS ARE ALWAYS EITHER IGNORED OR INTERUPTED OR, AT BEST, THEY'RE JUST GLANCED OVER
WHILE THERE'S CLEARLY A LOT OF BACKSTORY BEHIND MANY OF THE CHARACTERS
YOU NEVER GET A CHANCE TO REALLY LEARN ABOUT ANY OF THEM BECAUSE THE MOVIE DOESN'T LET YOU
HELL, NOT EVEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS SEEM TO CARE WHAT'S GOING ON
THIS IS DEFINITELY A STARK CONTRAST TO THE MORE CLICHE STORYTELLING FOUND IN MOST JAPANESE ANIMATIONS
WHERE THE CHARACTERS ACT LIKE THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING
THE ENDING, ABOVE ALL ELSE, IS THE MOST OBVIOUS PARODY OF JAPANESE STORYTELLING
OUTER SPACE TURNS BLOOD RED FOR NO REASON
A GIANT GOD-LIKE MONSTER APPEARS OUT OF NOWHERE
AND PANDY RANDOMLY GETS SUPERPOWERS
THIS MIGHT AS WELL BE THE FINAL BOSS FROM A 1990'S VIDEO GAME
AND ARE THE CHARACTERS REALLY SHOCKED?
NO, OF COURSE NOT
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FILM, DEAD LEAVES IS DRIVING A SINGLE MESSAGE: WHO GIVE'S A ***?
THERE'S A PLOT BUT DOES IT EVEN MATTER?
THERE ARE GUNS BUT DOES ANYONE EVER RELOAD?
HELL, THEY RARELY RUN OUT OF AMMO AND EVEN WHEN THEY DO IT'S QUICKLY REPLACED WITH ANOTHER GUN
AND EVEN WHEN THE CHARACTERS MIGHT CARE ABOUT SOMETHING, EVEN FOR A SECOND, IT'S INSTANTLY SWEPT AWAY
THE CRAZY THING IS, I NORMALLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS KIND OF MOVIE
IT'S LOW BROW, ACTION TRASH THAT DOESN'T ASK ANYTHING FROM THE AUDIENCE ASIDE FROM STUPID, DROLLING, BLANK STARES
YET, THAT'S ONLY THE SURFACE
DIG DEEPER AND YOU'LL FIND A SMART AND CHARMING COMEDY THAT MAKES FUN OF WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE STANDARD
IT BREAKS ALL THE RULES AND ENDS UP BEING SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNIQUE ON IT'S OWN
BASICALLY, YOU COME FOR THE OVER THE TOP ACTION AND EXPLOSIONS
BUT STAY FOR THE WONDERFUL COMMENTARY ON SOCIETAL NORMS
SADLY, THAT STAY IS INCREDIBLY SHORT
IF YOU CUT OUT THE OPENING AND ENDING CREDITS, THE WHOLE MOVIE TOPS OFF AT A PATHETIC 45 MINUTES
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND SOME GENERAL EXPLANATIONS ALSO COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED A LOT BETTER
ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MUCH EFFORT WAS PUT TOWARDS MAKING A UNIQUE AND INTERESTING WORLD IN THE FIRST PLACE
LAZY ANIMATION TECHNIQUES ARE ALSO ALL OVER THE PLACE
WHICH IS DOUBLY BAD SINCE SO FEW FRAMES ARE ALREADY USED FOR THE ACTION
MAKING EVERYTHING EVEN MORE OF A STRAIN TO WATCH THAN IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE
IF YOU TRY WATCHING THIS MOVIE WHEN YOU'RE TIRED, YOU'LL GET A HEADACHE JUST FROM TRYING TO KEEP UP
DEAD LEAVES MAY BE WONDERFUL IN PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT IS DOES
BUT IT'S PAINFULLY OBVIOUS THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BETTER
MAYBE BUDGET WAS AN ISSUE?
IMAISHI WAS STILL PRETTY NEW TO THE SCENE
SO MAYBE THEY DIDN'T GIVE HIM AS MUCH ROOM TO WORK WITH AS HE DESERVED
OR, YOU COULD TAKE THE MORE THEORETICAL EXPLANATION AND ARGUE THAT THESE ELEMENTS ACTUALLY ENCHANCE THE FILM
BY DRIVING THAT MESSAGE OF "WHO GIVES A ***" EVEN FURTHER
TO WHICH I SAY, YOU HAVE YOUR HEAD SO FAR UP YOUR *** THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT ANYMORE
LOOK, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, HANDLING THINGS IN A POOR MANNER ALMOST ALWAYS HINDERS THE EXPERIENCE AS A WHOLE
DEAD LEAVES COULD HAVE LASTED LONGER, AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED A LOT BETTER. PERIOD.
DEAD LEAVES DEFINITELY ISN'T FOR EVERYONE
THE GLANCED OVER NARRATIVE COULD BE ANNOYING FOR SOME
AND THE INSANELY FAST PACE OF EVERYTHING COULD BE NAUSEATING FOR OTHERS
BUT IT IS OBVIOUS WHAT DEAD LEAVES WAS TRYING TO GO FOR
HIGH OCTANE, IN YOUR FACE, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BUT GO WITH IT KIND OF FUN
AND IT PULLED IT OFF EXCEPTIONALLY WELL
WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO GO INTO THAT "LOL SO RANDOM XD" KIND OF TERRITORY
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT OR IF YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE AN HOUR TO BLOW
THEN CHECK OUT DEAD LEAVES