Review of Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo

Rebuild 3.0 is a giant curveball to the Evangelion franchise. Everyone knew the rebuilds would take on a different direction, but nobody could anticipate the complete tonal and narrative shift that occurs in this film. It’s jarring, baffling, and also the most fun I’ve had watching Evangelion. Halfway through the first act of the film, I wondered, “Am I watching Eva right now?” Then I wondered, “Did they change directors?” They didn’t, but the radical change in animation, aesthetic, pacing, direction, and story surely conveyed that feeling. Animation-wise, this film is the best-looking by far. There are multiple impressive action sequences, and the use of 3Danimation allowed some fluid camera movements to become possible. The art style remains consistent with the rest of the rebuilds; however, many new character designs seem out of place with the rest of the series.

Despite still retaining the same writer, Eva 3.0 brings a new energy to the franchise. This film is focused more on developing a singular, compelling story rather than retelling the old ones. The previous rebuilds spent much of its runtime acting as a recap, which restrained and crippled the writing heavily. Eva 3.0 follows a more traditional story structure with a clear direction in mind, unlike its meandering predecessors. For once, there’s a compelling thread that pulls one scene to the next. This straightforward manner of storytelling is entertaining and compelling, but the series’ signature direction takes a hit in the process.

Aside from the bizarre and dark imagery, there’s little left of Hideaki Anno’s touch. Tonally, Eva 3.0 is a complete left-turn, and nothing that shouts “EVANGELION!” can be found. The quirky and experimental feel of the show is replaced by something more standard and more action-oriented. This film, overall, feels like a glitch in the Matrix.

The story is a giant leap of faith. The rift between NERV and WILLE is an interesting premise, yet far-fetched in its execution. The heart of the story, the relationship between Shinji and Kaworu, never sat right with me (even in the show), and it isn’t any better here either. Not mentioning the ridiculous piano scenes, Shinji’s affinity for Kaworu specifically is always assumed, but never explained. The audience must buy their relationship for the story’s sake, and unfortunately, I don’t. It just doesn’t seem to be in Shinji’s nature to befriend and enjoy spending time with another person out of the blue. Shinji’s signature sullenness isn’t seen here as much, which, to me, is a blessing. Aside from that, Eva 3.0 does create many unanswered questions, but it’s not any more confusing than the show in its later stages.

After finishing this film, Eva 4.0 may as well take the series in any direction it wants. It threw out the previous two movies and became a beast of its own. While it’s certainly more entertaining, the story and direction suffer. New content isn’t a bad thing for the series. If I wanted to watch Evangelion again, then the show is available for that. But what Eva 3.0 brings to the table feels more like a spin-off than anything.