Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * *

Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Keean Johnson, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Casper Van Dien, Eiza Gonzalez, Lana Condor, Michelle Rodriguez, Ella LaMont, Jeff Fahey, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Ed Norton.

If you dare to make a film that immerses itself into a version of Earth’s future, a science fiction cake to which all will chow down upon and take delight in every ingredient, then it could be argued that what is needed is to make the characters as relatable to our current perception of life or at least incorporate that future vision as an understanding of what we fear, what will be the point of impact in which we as a species will no doubt either lose and become meaningless, or rise up, renewed, buoyed by narrowly avoiding the apocalyptic disaster.

To add such visions of humanity’s loss to a place where Terminator, for all its brilliance, is taken to a place where cyborgs and humans co-exist in a blood thirsty rivalry to bring in murderers, where Rollerball becomes entwined with the idea of Bladerunner and then place it into a time which is so far in our own future that it scarcely leaves the audience a bare semblance of connection and without much charm aiding it along, is to find that despite the glorious sense of achievement in bringing such a story to cinema audience’s attention, that it feels as if there is too much gloss and not enough meaningful substance to the proceedings.

With many graphic novel adaptions there is always the knowledge that the film needs to stay within its own universe in which to appease the dedicated fan who made it popular enough to have the money thrown at it to come to the big screen, and yet they still manage to overcome the perilous waters which comes with overt snobbery as those who decry such works go on the offensive. The trouble is with Alita: Battle Angel you can understand their point, you will disagree with them completely, but it is there nagging at the back of your own mind that not all is cool, all is overblown and almost too predictable for it to be taken to the audience’s hearts beyond the initial showing.

Whilst the film displays firm commitment, whilst actors such as Christoph Waltz, Ed Skrein and Mahershala Ali come out of it with their reputations upheld, for the rest it feels as if you are placing trust in a moment that is laboured, contrived and dare it be said, artificial.

Alita: Battle Angel is difficult to enjoy fully, awkward to see as film of hope, instead one that just wants to be noticed, and not for the right reasons; it is to be hoped, but probably with grim fascination at the helm, that the possible sequels live up to the hype that this particular film imagined, for in this setting the feeling is one of imitation as art.

Ian D. Hall