Appleseed Ex Machina

Okay, I know I'm late but I just saw Appleseed Ex Machina. IT came out in 2008 and the first film came out in 2004. They are computer generated and it amazes me how much difference in technology 4 years actually makes. In 2004 Appleseed was state-state-of-the-art but compared to Ex Machina it seems dated. The story on which the films are based is from Japanese Manga (comic books). It has almost every staple of good 21st Century science fiction motif you can think of: mecha (robot suits), bio-engineered humanity, cyborgs, and exploration of humanity and identity. I really liked it. The thing about the plot of Ex Machina that got me was that one of the principal characters, named Borias, is a cyborg. His cybernetics is the most advanced and he is the only human being that has been found capable of adjusting to that level of cybernetics. Because of his fighting skills and temperment he was chosen to be cloned and have the clone bioengineered to not be capable of hatred and killing out of anger to make the perfect peace keeper. One of the themes of the movie is how does Borias interact with his clone. One who is almost exactly like he was before his injuries making it necessary for him to become a cyborg. How about his friends and partner? Does that diminish Borias in some way? It was interesting watching it play out.

Borias, his partner Doulan, and his clone team up to save the world from being enslaved. I don't want to give too much away. But I have one more thing I'd like to gush over: the action. That is due in large part to John Woo. If you don't know who John Woo is then let me remind you of some films I'm sure you have seen that he directed: Face Off and Mission Impossible II. I know his name isn't famous in the western world like Spielberg or Lucas unless you are a fan of action movies. He is famous and popular in Asian films. He pioneered many stylized action sequences that we now see in many different films: the gun in both hands, use of slow motion, cameras spinning around the action, camera shots never used before, bullet casings falling like rain, and many other innovations. They never get old or boring. It's like a ballet with kung fu and bullets. Today, when we see some of these moments in films we call them "John Woo Moments"(see the picture on the right for an example). Ex Machina is full of moments like those because John Woo produced and collaborated in the film's production. I liked the movie a lot. Following is the trailer for Appleseed Ex Machina: