Review of Paprika

Being original is one thing, but being bizarre is a whole another thing. Satoshi Kon’s Paprika is a movie that walks the tightrope, often dangerously tittering over the latter side, but somehow manages to pull it off. Based on a 1993 novel of the same name, Paprika is set in the near future where a device called the DC Mini enables a person to enter another’s dreams. Created with the intention of aiding psychotherapy, the DC Mini is stolen and the thief utilizes it to annihilate the dreamer’s personality. The only one person who can retrieve it and prevent dreams and reality from merging is Paprika,the alter-ego of the co-creator of the DC Mini. Can Paprika and her eccentric crew manage to save the world from the impending doom?

Paprika’s story is definitely not its strong suit. While the legendary anime filmmaker, Kon, has attempted to create a masterpiece by focusing on the concept of parallel “realities”, the story was given very little importance and it came out of the oven a half-baked and rather crude package. I accept that the plot did have its occasional awe-inspiring moments, but they were too little and too late into this 90 minute feature. But that’s not to say that this movie is boring. On the contrary, Paprika is very entertaining and it manages to keep you engaged. It never deviates and always focuses on the retrieval of the DC Mini. No unnecessary character flashbacks, no slapstick humor and last but definitely not the least, no dull moments. There is nonstop action and as conventional as the backdrop maybe, it’s still a lot of fun.

The ridiculousness and irrationality of the plot is what stops you from walking out on this anime halfway. Where else can you see a man escaping a cage in a circus, then falling into a forest, then grabbing a vine to swing through like Tarzan, then slipping into a train where he is strangled by a man, beats him up and finally manages to run into a deserted warehouse, all in 30 seconds?

When Inception, the Hollywood flick, came out, otaku around the globe were quick to correct people on how Inception wasn’t completely Chris Nolan’s original idea, but was actually ripped off from an anime called Paprika. After watching both the movies, I have to say that Inception does bear some shocking similarities, the most notable being the actual concept of using a machine to enter a person’s dream and the infamous elevator fight scene, but otherwise, these two movies are worlds apart. While both movies have the same concept, Inception was more of a man’s struggle to place an idea inside a victim, Paprika was more about retrieving a stolen device to prevent its cataclysmic effect on the world. Paprika is also quite a disturbing film, containing visuals that range from horrifying to nightmares-for-a-week. But then again, what do you expect when you combine schizophrenics, dreams and a catastrophic device?

The presentation is the best I’ve ever seen in an anime. Period. Rich in color and subtle in lighting, Paprika hits the nail on the head with its astoundingly smooth animation. The reason why this movie was so well received in the West was probably because of its striking artwork, which stands out compared to the high-cost 3D works of Pixar and the like. The music was flawless and the OP had a nice beat to it. Overall, this movie is a technical masterpiece and one that the storyboard artists can proudly put on top of their resumes.

Paprika combines the randomness of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the shock value of Baccano! and the creativity of Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, anyone?) and sugarcoats it with the anime industry’s best animation so far. Sadly, the movie is dragged down by an average story and an absurd plot, which is at times more insane than it is creative and ultimately, that is where this movie failed to make the top cut.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Paprika is just one of those movies that you will remember for a long time to come, not because of its quality, but because of its innovation. The story could’ve definitely been better and the plot occasionally relies on shock value to keep the viewer engaged. But guess what, it’s a lot of fun and one hell of a ride! Confusing and perplexing as the anime maybe, it is the wackiness and the “Kon touch” that keeps you entertained the entire time. The animation is, hands down, the best I have ever seen and the BGM fits in well. Paprika is a great movie, as long as you don’t expect something very logical or meaningful – it’s just 90 minutes of pure entertainment. As the title suggests, Paprika is quite a spicy one.

~I would also like to take this moment to pay homage to the director, Satoshi Kon, who passed away in early 2010 due to pancreatic cancer. I’m surely he will never be forgotten by any of us. Thank you for all the wonderful films – Arigatou Gozaimasta, Kon-sensei. ~

( As always, feedback of any form is appreciated. Thank you for your time ^^)