Review of Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo

SEE! EVANGELION... IN THE FUTURE! SEE! EVANGELION... IN SPACE! Taglines suited for a Mel Brooks treatment of anime's headiest mecha drama, but oddly apt as well in the case of Evangelion 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo (I didn't have the pleasure of a theatrical screening of 3.0), which jetisons generally familiar stomping ground to weave a new story. That it has been paired with a live action/CGI Studio Ghibli short which fits neatly into Nausicaa continuity is particularly curious, as one might expect such a short to be more controversial by the nature of its medium. But Evangelion is not a productionto be shown-up.

In all fairness, this film is a mixed bag that tends towards greatness, hampered by trying to do too much in too short a run time. In its opening, it immediately makes clear that its audience is the least of its concerns - you want a conventional opening? You want to know what's going on at every single moment? Not happening on either count. And what an opening! It's the movie's strongest scene; remember reading about how much engineering went into The End of Evangelion's Mass Production Eva fly-in shot? I'd hate to know how much of the Redo budget was spent on the first few minutes, but it was well worthwhile. The imagery recalls a psychedelic trip out of the Japanese-set 2009 Cannes competitor Enter the Void: a fractal which changes little by little in a dark and empty distance until we at last see Unit 2.

The opening battle scene is a fantasia of action. As we watch Shinji watching it, we have about as much an idea of what's going on as he does. But that does not detract from the beauty of the mad rush. Switching from high-octane spectacle to snail's pace exposition, the movie does somewhat falter. The entrance of Rei Ayanami is especially clunky and worthy of criticism. But it can almost be forgiven as the story, alternately fat and thin, continues to unspool. Visual references are made to NGE Episode 24, which might be the only thing audiences expected upon entering theaters or popping in the disc; but visual references to Episode 25? Color this reviewer surprised.

Jeers are already filed panning the re-write of Shinji's relationship with Kaworu as more on par with fan fiction than official Eva-dom. Although the dynamics of this supremely important relationship are largely new, it only keeps with the rest of the film's odd new world. For as much fault as could be levied on too-short treatment of the pair, at least that much keeps with the television source material! Meanwhile, Fuyutsuki's role is made significantly more important; while setting a Shogi board, the man drops more bombs on Shinji's perception of reality than the JSDF dropped on the Third Angel. Indeed, we and Shinji are caught-up on the backstory principally by way of three conversations over the course of the film. None of them are integrated well by the script.

Whereas the NGE television series was renowned for the intricacy of its plotting, the third Rebuild feature cannot boast much beyond stunning novelty. Had it been any less stunning, it would have been unforgivable. The impression can come across that as Anno retreads his material for the umpteenth time, his heart is less committed while his aim to abuse his audience's sensibilities increases (when he considers the audience at all). We will not be able to rule definitively on this film until the next is released, which fact is, itself, is a troubling weakness. Its own pitfalls aside, the second in the Rebuild series was alone a staggering achievement in transforming the Evangelion mythos. Had more time been spent making it less obscure, the third feature could have been the jewel in the Rebuild crown. As it stands and will likely remain, it is the most incomplete of the new movies, a nouvelle cuisine entree served mysteriously lacking some sine qua non. Here's hoping the conclusion of this "thoroughly modern," multi-course meal is, itself, more satisfying.