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Why haven't you heard of Avalon before?
In terms of anime excellence that defined the genre, it's hard not to look to the 1995 films. Ghost in the Shell As one of the films that brought the genre to the forefront of the West. Although it was released several years later, AkiraBoth films came to prominence in the 1990s and were admired by many fans as it became possible to view and learn about international cartoons and films through the Internet. This made their creator Mamoru Oshiiis highly respected among animators and Science fiction fans, with the director's subsequent projects finding similar buzz.
However, there is one Mamoru Oshii project that is often overlooked, and that is the 2001 live-action sci-fi thriller AvalonWe'll look at why this film remains relatively obscure, and whether it's worth seeing for yourself.
Avalon movie story and cast
The film takes place in a dark, gloomy world where people become addicted to an illegal virtual reality game called Avalon. This military-themed shooting game allows elite players to earn fame and fortune.But this may come at a cost, as some players may go into a state of shock after a loss. Avalon The game revolves around a single player, Ash (Malgorzata Formińiak), who was once part of a team, playing alone and gaining fame. After someone breaks her record, Ash begins to delve deeper into the game, including finding a “secret level” and the real reason why players are in a coma.
“Which game do you think is better, the one you think you can finish but never do, or the one that seems impossible to win but isn't?”
Avalon Stars Małgorzata Foremniak as pro player Ash. Foremniak is a Polish actress, best known for her role in the film AvalonAlthough she has appeared in over 50 Polish film and television productions, the supporting cast includes other key Polish figures who are not as well known outside their native country, including Władysław Kowalski, Jerzy Godickow, Dariusz Biskupski, and Bartlomiej Swiedersk.
Avalon He was Directed by Mamoru Oshii, known for his work in Ghost in the Shell series But she has starred in several successful anime series, including: Blood is the last vampire and Patlabor. The film was written by Kazunori Ito, a long-time collaborator of Oshii. He has also worked as a writer on notable projects such as .hack//GU Animation, video games, and classic anime seriesOrosei Yatsura.
Why haven't you heard of Avalon before?
Despite the power of the name behind it that was supposed to attract fans of sci-fi anime, Avalon This has remained relatively obscure when looking at Mamoru Oshii's work. The likely reason here is that The film was a co-production between Poland and Japan. With all the actors and dialogue in Polish. And while Poland is no slouch when it comes to creative cinema, the international viability of a film in the early 2000s is a far cry from where we are in the current landscape of online streaming and the broad online discourse around cinema. Avalon had a limited theatrical release, but grossed only $449,275 at the box office on an $8 million budget.You should know that this was at a time when sales could be made up by DVD sales, so that just indicates that it wasn't a box office success.
Despite being screened out of competition at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and winning awards for “Best Cinematography” at the Catalonia International Film Festival and “Best Film” at Sci-Fi-London, the film was largely ignored by international audiences. This has been attributed to Possible lack of marketing, niche appeal at a time when VR is the main theme, and mixed reviews.Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, the number of reviews reflects this lack of interest, with the film currently holding an 83% fresh critics' rating and a 73% audience rating, but with only 6 critics and over 5,000 fan reviews.
Despite the lukewarm reception and relative obscurity upon its release, Avalon The series has since gained a lot of popularity, especially due to its association with director Mamoru Oshii. This has led many people to reevaluate the work, especially because of Its dystopian themes where the lines between the virtual world and reality become blurred are even more relevant today. Early 2000s.
Should you watch Avalon?
Don't make a mistake Avalon Not Mamoru Oshii's best work.and lacks the same cohesive themes and amazing sci-fi action that made Ghost in the Shell The film was a huge success and was noted by critics. Failed in both the work and the themes he tried to explore, And they were not entirely wrong in their assessment. Avalon The film may be slow, and it is a sci-fi film that requires its audience to immerse themselves in the story. However, that does not mean that the film did not find fans for good reason.
Some saw it as a missed opportunity to explore topics around virtual reality, others saw it as an adequate job for the time period; some saw it as underdeveloped elements, and others saw it as an opening to a broader conversation about our relationship with video games and online worlds. Avalon Featuring a unique visual approach with attention to detail, an exceptional performance from Małgorzata Foremniak as Ash, and a standout soundtrack from Kenji Kawai. Avalon The film may not be to everyone's taste, and its elements test patience, but for those looking for innovation in the genre from one of the best sci-fi films, you should consider checking it out for yourself.
You can rent Avalon On Apple TV, Prime Video, or YouTube.
