Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (The DEFINITIVE review)
4/4
Starring (voices): Steve Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, Melissa Fahn, Jennifer Hale, Daran Norris, Dvae Wittenburg
Rated R for Some Violent Images
I don't rewrite reviews usually. Although I rarely change a score I give it, I've only written an additional review for a single movie ("Interstellar"). The reason being is that my opinions usually don't change enough for an additional review to be necessary. I decided to write a new review for "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" for two reasons. First, the original review was done when I first started reviewing movies, and it sucks (for those of you who are interested, here is the link to it, since I'm not ashamed of it). The second reason is that I didn't adequately describe my thoughts about this movie. At least, I didn't really articulate why it's so special.
The film is an interquel of a cult anime TV show called "Cowboy Bebop," which despite being beloved (iMDb lists it at number 35 on the list of Top 250 TV Shows of All Time), only ran for two seasons. It follows the adventures of a quartet of bounty hunters a few hundred years in the future. The central character is Spike (Blum), a carefree sort who cracks jokes and has a heart of gold. His cohorts are Jet (Billingslea), a cynic with a robotic arm and an obsession with strategy, Faye (Lee), a superficial gambling junkie who doesn't care about anyone except herself, and Edward (Fahn), a loopy computer whiz. Oh, and there's also Ein, a brainiac Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
The film gets off to a fantastic start, turning one of the oldest cliches in thrillers on its head. A group of thieves is holding up a convenience store. The master thief interrogates the terrified clerk with his philosophy about the world and why he's a thief. If this sounds familiar, it's because it's the dreaded "talking killer" syndrome. Only this time it turns out differently. The thief's monologue makes no sense and his arrogance leads to his own demise. This isn't a criticism. The filmmakers are well aware of this and are clearly aiming for parody. Spike's reaction to a hostage situation is clever and shocking. The scene is wickedly funny and brilliantly satirical.
That's just the appetizer. The real story gets much more complicated. Faye is going to pick up a computer hacker on her way home from the horse races. But the truck she is tailing isn't driven by her target. It's someone else. Shortly after he gets out, it explodes. The driver sees her, flashes the tattoo on his wrist, then jumps off a bridge and disappears. It's later discovered that the bus was carrying a toxin, which kills dozens and panics the city. A huge reward is offered for anyone who can solve the crime. Naturally Spike and his friends are on the case, but it turns out to be a lot more complicated and dangerous than any of them realize.
Perhaps the biggest success of the film is its tone. The movie is a tongue-in-cheek action flick, but it isn't afraid to get serious or silly, depending on the situation. The violence is occasionally graphic (but not nearly enough to warrant the R rating the MPAA gave it) and the plot takes some dark turns. The devastation of the toxin used is not soft-pedaled. At the same time, there are plenty of delicious one-liners (most of which come from Spike). There's an amusing bit about fast food and the attempt to take down the villain doesn't go exactly as planned. Switching tones without being jarring is difficult to pull off, but "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" does it with such ease that it's not noticeable at all.
To be sure, the voice acting helps a lot. Steve Blum is deliciously droll as Spike. Spike is a free spirit who lives on impulse and doesn't seem to have a care in the world. But underneath his cocky bravado is a man who does care and has flashes of vulnerability. It's a tricky role and the veteran voice actor doesn't strike a wrong note. As the uber cautious Jet, Beau Billingslea is well cast. He's openly critical of Spike's personality and warns him of the dangers inherent in his way of living. Yet he likes the kid, and perhaps somewhat envies his carefree attitude. Wendee Lee is fabulous as Faye, who is self-absorbed, knows it, and is unapologetic about it. Although she's mainly on hand for comic relief, she gets personally involved in what is going on. Melissa Fahn is truly daring as Ed, the loopy savant. It's the kind of role that if not handled correctly could become unbearably irritating. But Fahn makes it work. Ed is weird, badass and strangely likable.
The supporting characters are just as good. Veteran voice actress Jennifer Hale submerges her distinctive voice into the role of Elektra Ovilo. Originally a strong arm of a malicious corporation, her allegiances shift once she realizes that there is more going on than she realizes. Her fight scene with Spike is a highlight; it's weird to say that a brawl is sexy, but there's definitely a playful romantic undercurrent there (Spike has a brilliant line here that sets it up). Fittingly, it's one of her favorite roles. Dave Wittenburg has fun with the role of a dork who is so addicted to computer games that he has lost touch with reality.
The film also has a terrific villain. I won't say who it is, since discovering the plot is part of the fun. But I will say that he is simultaneously deranged and sad. Many villains have grandiose plots, but few are led by a man who is so creepily twisted. This is one villain that we are simultaneously threatened by even though we feel pangs of sympathy for him.
Anime has a reputation for being fantastical and bizarre. The expressions are plastic with huge angular eyes and less than fluid animation being trademarks. There is some of that, but for the most part, it's more grounded (certainly when compared to something like "Spirited Away," or even "Grave of the Fireflies"). Colors are more muted, and the animation goes for realism rather than being a cartoon. With a decent budget, this movie could feasibly be live action (in fact, Netlix is producing a live action version of the series). But animation gives it different feel than live action that makes it more laid back and disarms the viewer. Plus, such an unusual approach piques our interest for that very reason.
"Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" is pure filmmaking. It has a lot of energy, a compelling story, plenty of action (there is a dog fight that is as thrilling as something from "Star Wars") and humor, and characters who are a blast to spend time with. The film has a minor plot hole towards the end, but so what? It isn't great art, but it doesn't have to be. This is a movie that thrills and entertains beyond all expectations. It's a movie that is good for any occasion or mood. Pop it into your Blu Ray player and enjoy.
Starring (voices): Steve Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, Melissa Fahn, Jennifer Hale, Daran Norris, Dvae Wittenburg
Rated R for Some Violent Images
I don't rewrite reviews usually. Although I rarely change a score I give it, I've only written an additional review for a single movie ("Interstellar"). The reason being is that my opinions usually don't change enough for an additional review to be necessary. I decided to write a new review for "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" for two reasons. First, the original review was done when I first started reviewing movies, and it sucks (for those of you who are interested, here is the link to it, since I'm not ashamed of it). The second reason is that I didn't adequately describe my thoughts about this movie. At least, I didn't really articulate why it's so special.
The film is an interquel of a cult anime TV show called "Cowboy Bebop," which despite being beloved (iMDb lists it at number 35 on the list of Top 250 TV Shows of All Time), only ran for two seasons. It follows the adventures of a quartet of bounty hunters a few hundred years in the future. The central character is Spike (Blum), a carefree sort who cracks jokes and has a heart of gold. His cohorts are Jet (Billingslea), a cynic with a robotic arm and an obsession with strategy, Faye (Lee), a superficial gambling junkie who doesn't care about anyone except herself, and Edward (Fahn), a loopy computer whiz. Oh, and there's also Ein, a brainiac Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
The film gets off to a fantastic start, turning one of the oldest cliches in thrillers on its head. A group of thieves is holding up a convenience store. The master thief interrogates the terrified clerk with his philosophy about the world and why he's a thief. If this sounds familiar, it's because it's the dreaded "talking killer" syndrome. Only this time it turns out differently. The thief's monologue makes no sense and his arrogance leads to his own demise. This isn't a criticism. The filmmakers are well aware of this and are clearly aiming for parody. Spike's reaction to a hostage situation is clever and shocking. The scene is wickedly funny and brilliantly satirical.
That's just the appetizer. The real story gets much more complicated. Faye is going to pick up a computer hacker on her way home from the horse races. But the truck she is tailing isn't driven by her target. It's someone else. Shortly after he gets out, it explodes. The driver sees her, flashes the tattoo on his wrist, then jumps off a bridge and disappears. It's later discovered that the bus was carrying a toxin, which kills dozens and panics the city. A huge reward is offered for anyone who can solve the crime. Naturally Spike and his friends are on the case, but it turns out to be a lot more complicated and dangerous than any of them realize.
Perhaps the biggest success of the film is its tone. The movie is a tongue-in-cheek action flick, but it isn't afraid to get serious or silly, depending on the situation. The violence is occasionally graphic (but not nearly enough to warrant the R rating the MPAA gave it) and the plot takes some dark turns. The devastation of the toxin used is not soft-pedaled. At the same time, there are plenty of delicious one-liners (most of which come from Spike). There's an amusing bit about fast food and the attempt to take down the villain doesn't go exactly as planned. Switching tones without being jarring is difficult to pull off, but "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" does it with such ease that it's not noticeable at all.
To be sure, the voice acting helps a lot. Steve Blum is deliciously droll as Spike. Spike is a free spirit who lives on impulse and doesn't seem to have a care in the world. But underneath his cocky bravado is a man who does care and has flashes of vulnerability. It's a tricky role and the veteran voice actor doesn't strike a wrong note. As the uber cautious Jet, Beau Billingslea is well cast. He's openly critical of Spike's personality and warns him of the dangers inherent in his way of living. Yet he likes the kid, and perhaps somewhat envies his carefree attitude. Wendee Lee is fabulous as Faye, who is self-absorbed, knows it, and is unapologetic about it. Although she's mainly on hand for comic relief, she gets personally involved in what is going on. Melissa Fahn is truly daring as Ed, the loopy savant. It's the kind of role that if not handled correctly could become unbearably irritating. But Fahn makes it work. Ed is weird, badass and strangely likable.
The supporting characters are just as good. Veteran voice actress Jennifer Hale submerges her distinctive voice into the role of Elektra Ovilo. Originally a strong arm of a malicious corporation, her allegiances shift once she realizes that there is more going on than she realizes. Her fight scene with Spike is a highlight; it's weird to say that a brawl is sexy, but there's definitely a playful romantic undercurrent there (Spike has a brilliant line here that sets it up). Fittingly, it's one of her favorite roles. Dave Wittenburg has fun with the role of a dork who is so addicted to computer games that he has lost touch with reality.
The film also has a terrific villain. I won't say who it is, since discovering the plot is part of the fun. But I will say that he is simultaneously deranged and sad. Many villains have grandiose plots, but few are led by a man who is so creepily twisted. This is one villain that we are simultaneously threatened by even though we feel pangs of sympathy for him.
Anime has a reputation for being fantastical and bizarre. The expressions are plastic with huge angular eyes and less than fluid animation being trademarks. There is some of that, but for the most part, it's more grounded (certainly when compared to something like "Spirited Away," or even "Grave of the Fireflies"). Colors are more muted, and the animation goes for realism rather than being a cartoon. With a decent budget, this movie could feasibly be live action (in fact, Netlix is producing a live action version of the series). But animation gives it different feel than live action that makes it more laid back and disarms the viewer. Plus, such an unusual approach piques our interest for that very reason.
"Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" is pure filmmaking. It has a lot of energy, a compelling story, plenty of action (there is a dog fight that is as thrilling as something from "Star Wars") and humor, and characters who are a blast to spend time with. The film has a minor plot hole towards the end, but so what? It isn't great art, but it doesn't have to be. This is a movie that thrills and entertains beyond all expectations. It's a movie that is good for any occasion or mood. Pop it into your Blu Ray player and enjoy.
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