Harry here... and I need to see this yesterday! The trailers have been genius, and this review increases the joygasm anticipation I have for this thing. Here ya go...
Tonight, in the upscale Ginza district of Tokyo, in a small concert hall on the fifth floor of the Yamaha building, there was an exclusive press screening for Katsuhiro Otomo's highly-anticipated Steamboy. I was lucky enough to get a ticket and be one of the first to see it (it doesn't open here for about a month). Here's what I thought (and forgive me if there are a few inaccuracies in the details - my Japanese leaves much to be desired):
I'll start by saying that Steamboy is a pretty standard adventure story: a powerful force falls into the hands of an unsuspecting, true-hearted, bright young man, who is immediately thrust into a whirlwind adventure. We've seen this story in countless films before - in fact, it's almost exactly the same, plot-wise, as Miyazaki's wonderful Castle in the Sky - but Steamboy is a grade A rendering, and will not leave you disappointed.
In this case, the boy's name is Ray. He lives in an orphanage in Manchester in the 19th century, and, like Miyazaki's hero was obsessed with flight, Ray is obsessed with steam. He has his own private workshop where he invents various steam-powered, Bond-like gadgets and vehicles, and he can out-engineer even the most experienced professionals. One day, Ray receives a package in the mail containing an unusual contraption called the steamball, but before he even has a chance to examine it, a couple of unsavoury characters are at the door trying to get it back. The steamball belongs to a mysterious company headed by a mysterious individual with mysterious intentions, which, it is safe to assume, are rather sinister (I'll leave the details out so as not to spoil the surprises). So he's chased by bad guys and chased by good guys who turn out to be bad guys and bad guys who turn out to be good guys, and generally everyone wants what he has, because it has the potential to be a great weapon (and a lucrative sale). Of course, everyone ends up clashing in a spectacular climax which shows off every penny of the film's record budget.
While this synopsis may sound familiar, the execution is nothing less than extraordinary. The visual design of the film is, to say the least, jaw-dropping. Every mechanism, from a turbo-unicycle to giant airships and submarines, from hand-held gadgetry to steam-powered suits of armour, is thought out from top to bottom. We see every cog and every tube and every valve, and we have no reason to believe that, if they were constructed in reality, they wouldn't work. There's a particularly amazing scene (which may be in the trailer) where the characters ride an elevator through the central guts of the company's headquarters - past fast-moving, building-sized gears and pinions - which left my mouth hanging open. The machines are the stars of the film.
Of course, the design is useless if we don't care about the characters (films like Appleseed and Final Fantasy are good examples of this). Steamboy offers a wonderful array of well-developed (yet appropriately cartoonish) characters. Ray's unlikely sidekick is a spoiled little dog-abusing princess named Scarlett who is essentially being raised by the company (she explains to Ray that she has several mothers, all of whom provide different services - cooking, teaching, washing, etc.). The company's operations are handled by Simon, a slimy businessman with a weak resolve, who is easily bossed around by Scarlett. We also meet Robert and David, who are working in England's best interests to defend her against her enemies (especially big American companies), and Alfred, a creepy company henchman determined to retrieve the steamball regardless of collateral damage (and there is plenty). All put together (along with a few others), they make for some entertaining clashes, relationships and friendships, which are far from the forced, wooden situations present in the films mentioned above.
The action is great - we're treated to several chase scenes, which never repeat themselves and are always original (I would've loved to have seen the story-writing sessions where people came up with these ideas). And, of course, the finale is no letdown. If you thought things couldn't get any bigger or better or more exciting, they do. Again, I won't spoil it with details.
All in all, Steamboy doesn't do anything new, and it needs no excuse - some of the best films of all time have simply improved on what's come before. It has a great story with great characters and a great score, and adds mechanical diving suits and armoured trains and giant robotic claws and mass destruction in Victorian-era London, which I don't think anyone would complain about. It's basically a perfect adventure film - delightful, escapist entertainment that's not insulting to anyone's intelligence (and will keep the kids happy).
I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Senator Ovaltine
