Apologies for this being another repeat, but I'm afraid that's the way
the cookie crumbles sometimes. Hopefully you've never before read this
installment of Masterpiece Cinema as we once again take a look at...
The End of Evangelion Starring a bunch of Japanese or American voice-over actors, depending on which dub you’d prefer to listen to.
Written by Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi & Kazuya Tsurumaki
Directed by Hideaki Anno & Kazuya Tsurumaki
Genre: Sci-Fi/Animation
Released: 1997
Running time: 87 minutes.
Rated: PG-13/M15+ (American/Australian rating for…well, a bunch of violence, some adult themes and a bit of naughty language).
IMDb link: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0169858/
Okay, so, who in the class knows what ‘anime’ is? Hands up. Wow, that’s
a lot of you. I shouldn’t be surprised - you’re all very highly
educated people with good taste and nice haircuts. And I bet you all
smell nice, too.
But for those of you who don’t know, it’s that
genre that’s often mistakenly referred to as ‘manga’ and sometimes
referred to in a vaguely racist manner as ‘Japanimation’.
The
Japanese have an absolutely booming animation industry. Ignoring the
huge business they generate in the western world, animated films in
Japan rank highly in box office grosses, where animation isn’t seen as
purely child’s fare. Sure, there are cartoon kid’s movies, but there’s
also stuff for adults. The End of Evangelion is an example of an
animated film that’s not for the kids.
Let me begin this by
stipulating that, if you haven’t watched the anime television series
Neon Genesis Evangelion, you shouldn’t start by watching this movie. I
mean, look at the title – it’s the end of the entire story. You’re not
going to understand what’s going on, much as you wouldn’t understand
what the hell was happening in a play if you walked in on the final
act. So, if you’ve never heard of Evangelion before, take this review
to be in support of both the movie and the excellent, groundbreaking,
immensely popular TV series that preceded it. Consider this review as a
glimpse at the treasure that awaits you at the end of the rainbow. And
believe me, The End of Evangelion is a treasure.
Neon Genesis Evangelion seemed to be nothing more than your typical
giant robot sci-fi anime series when it debuted back in 1995. It was
full of blue-haired characters, large action pieces, goofy comedy bits
and a smidge of T & A. But slowly, as the series progressed, it
became evident that there was something else lurking beneath the
surface of this show. Religious iconography and occult mythology was
used in new and imaginative ways, layering meaning into a show that
dealt with psychological and emotional issues in intense and visceral
ways.
But, man, did people ever get pissed off when the series
reached its finale – an episode that takes place entirely inside the
mind of the main character, despite the fact that there was no real,
onscreen explanation for how the audience got there and what the hell
it all meant.
So, in response to the outcry, The End of
Evangelion was crafted – two new episodes that are meant to supersede
the final episode of the series and give fans a greater sense of
closure. And there’s closure. And there’s not. And, man, is it ever
amazing to watch.
There’s so much in this film to give college
professors and university tutors to mull over and debate and analyse.
It’s nine months pregnant with meaning, with symbolism and with
psychobabble. It’s an epic in the greatest sense of the word, and if
fans were left scratching their heads with the way the series
originally ended, they’re left downright flabbergasted by this
bombastic display.
The End of Evangelion reinforces in my mind
why I like anime so much, because between the giant robot battles and
the Christ metaphors, you gain an appreciation for how there’s nothing
like this coming out of Hollywood at the moment, if there ever even
will be.
It’s not something to be viewed lightly, and as I
said earlier, it’s not something you can just walk into cold. But if
you put in the effort, if you watch the series and then watch this
movie, it will give you something that’ll hook you, that’ll keep you
coming back over and over again for another go, for another try at
unravelling the mystery. And even then, you’ll still be left wondering.
But that’s all part of the fun, isn’t it?
Next time: A new Masterpiece column.
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