REVIEW: 

Alita: I'd do whatever I had to for you. I'd give you whatever I have. I'd give you my heart.

After seeing the initial trailers and commercials for this movie I had my reservations on the quality of it. It looked like another cookie cutter, cheesy, video gamey, sci-fi flick with little to no substance to stand on. But then you find out that James Cameron is behind this project and that he handed the reigns to Robert Rodriguez because he was busy with Avatar, then you start to think, well then it’s gotta be decent, and it is. Obviously, Alita is CGI which some of you might criticize but then again at least they are not trying to hide that fact. It is blatant and unapologetically well done. Priscilla was more than impressed by the detail and accuracy of how she was presented. So please, get passed that because otherwise you won’t enjoy the movie. It’s actually pretty cool how this CGI character interacts with the rest of the live action cast. Now it doesn’t hurt one bit that you just can’t help but love this character. I mean with lines like the quote above, she is endearing yet at the same time she will command your respect because she is not to be messed with. Battle Angel is a perfect description for this young cyborg girl. Those big eyes of hers will draw you in, her innocence and playfulness will charm you, and her “skills” will make you cheer her on.

Alita: I do not standby in the presence of evil!

This film is truly amazing visually. Beyond Alita herself, the backdrop of this story is a very high-tech world encapsulated by more traditional earthly surroundings. In other words, the setting is futuristic, but not too much. Needless to say, the special effects are astonishing. So the movie is accomplished visually, but how about the substance you ask? The story is interesting and the dialogue is simple but not dumbed down. There is humor, there is drama, there is a good amount of emotion, and plenty of action so the film does cover practically all the bases. Beyond the visual aspects of the film, though, the next best thing about this movie I would have to say are the characters. Starting with Alita, of course, as I mentioned, you can’t help but to be enthralled by her and how “human” she is. Rosa Salazar is to be commended for her job of bringing Alita to life, animatedly speaking. Her caregiver slash reviver slash father figure, Dr. Dyson Ido, is played by Christoph Waltz who is a highlight in any cast. We also have the likes of Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali doing fine jobs with their respective and important roles.

This movie should not be overlooked because it’s pretty darn cool, and pretty darn fun too. I saw hints of Hunger Games and District 9 in a good way while watching this film. It might remind you of some other films too, but it does still hold on to an element of uniqueness. Director Robert Rodriguez did good, no surprise. Now going back to the Avatar reference, yeah, this is no Avatar, but it is a lot better than what I initially thought.