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Steamboy [UMD for PSP]
By: Sony Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 86
More Information
 On: 2009-06-28
"Steamboy" is a well-dubbed, well-animated movie produced by Sunrise, the studio which contributed to the animation of "Batman: the Animated Series," and directed by "Akira" (1988) creator Katsuhiro Otomo. With the reputation of the most expensive animated film in Japan, the attention to detail in regards to cultural accuracy in its storyboards as well as the animators depiction of Western characters are commendable. I watch and read many anime and manga enough to give an opinion on those artforms, but I also try to be unbiased in what Ive witnessed in order to judge its worth as a film studies student and what Ive tried to view as art. Many people have many opinions on what they view, and in this case regarding anime, and I hope that in order to judge something, it might be a good idea to curb enthusiasm and look at whats presented rationally.
So "Steamboy" tells the tale of Ray Steam, a boy whose the next in the line of great scientists which includes his father, Edward Steam, and his grandfather, Lloyd Steam. The setting is Victorian era England, a common motif in the Steampunk genre, where steam technology has taken to exaggerated heights as a great source of power. The central conflict to the story is what role should science take: as a source of power in order to dominate or as a source of hope in order to make a better world.
The characters that represent both sides of the conflict are Rays father Ed Steam, and his grandfather Lloyd Steam respectively. The two men once shared the same drive in their research in steam technology, but a tragic accident in the film has changed their outlook on science to the extremes. Ray, the protagonist, represents the uncertain future of technology, given his status as a child who is at the age where he is not quite certain on what to think of the future. This role is exemplified when he was swayed by both his father and grandfather to follow their ideals, but through the course of the film he was able to form his own opinions on what his role in the future should be. Although the film has a rather bipolar stance to the issue of ethics, that being that Rays father represents the evils of science and Lloyd Steam being the idealistic and most agreeable form of science, the director has taken care to show that although there are two groups who represent those ideals, Ed Steams OHara Foundations weapon merchants and Lloyd Steams English Governments representatives, both sides show that they are not completely dark characters nor are there completely righteous people. One, in fact, can only say that Rays father and grandfather are the only pure characters in their stance of science than the people they represent. The difference between those two men and the protagonist Ray is that he cares about the immediate consequences of the actions of those two men. When the conflict eventually escalates into the possibility of Londons destruction, he immediately voices the problem to the two men, driving them back into reality and trying to rectify the problem at hand. Thus, Ray not only exemplifies the possible future and attitude of science, but also as the down-to-earth reality of how science affects the present.
There have been some reviews stating that the plotline is contrived and/or that the characters are flat. In some ways its somewhat true. To me, I compare the film to the stock characters of pulp fiction. Not the movie by Tarantino, but the nickel paperback sensational fiction that haunt newstands and drugstores back in the 1920s to 1950s. Before the heyday of Jack Kirby who gave fairly well-rounded characters like the Fantastic Four and Spider-man during 1950s, fictional characters in science fiction and fantasy werent very 3 dimensional. Charles Dickens is a great writer, and even though he created sympathetic heroes and heroines capable of change, they all start off as stock people with its designated Cad and Plucky Waif. Famed science fiction writers Jules Verne is no exception, and "1984" writer H. G. Wells created complex protagonists but that doesnt extend to the lesser characters. In "Steamboy" there are characters who fit designated roles, but sometimes there are some scenes where the characters perform outside of their given roles. Rays grandfather may fit the Altruistic Scientist role, but he at times display lucidity and far-sightedness, but I personally think that he could be a potential altruistic terrorist. Rays father Ed Steam also fits the trope of Mad Scientist with the typical megalomania that befits the likes of Magneto, but I also think towards the end he has his own bit of redemption. What some viewers would feel as the egregious example of flat characters is Scarlett OHara, the admittedly vapid daughter of the OHara foundation, does show some three dimensionality in some scenes regarding her. Many would find her annoying, but consider: this is the 19th century. Women are still confined in traditional values and young girls arent yet as independent as they would be as the decades roll by. Scarlet is a spoiled Southern Belle whose wealth commands her whim to be accomplished. In a historical perspective, it would realistic. Its only through the course of the film that she grows outside of her enclosed world into someone who is beginning to be aware of how actions affect the whole of the community.
In all, this is a film that pays homage to a respectable genre just as "Batman: The Animated Series" pays homage to the timelessness of the 1950s. Although its anime thats mainstream in the fact that the film takes place in a Western world with decidedly Western values, which is admirable feat because any other anime series or film that attempts to take place in a western setting still maintains some of the mindset of a regular Japanese, its still a bit of a niche film in that a person who is not familiar with the Steampunk genre would feel a bit overwhelmed to not quite decide what sort of decisive opinion to give outside of whether its entertaining or not. I think that its a great film and I probably overanalyze these concepts a bit too much, but I do so because I really like it. Every dub has its highs and lows, but there is an overall naturalness that makes listening to it comfortable.
I do not wish to be demanding, but I feel that anyone who watches this shouldnt think that they are watching an Anime film. Although its a rather stylized Anime, I think that the overall content is enough to be that of the traditional film made in America. Do not compare it to Miyazaki, who really extols the traditions of Japan in most of his films, or to Satoshi Kon of "Paprika" (2006) fame. This is a film that tries very hard to be true to its roots and to its setting to the point where the only things that are remotely Japanese are the people who work on this film and the character style of which this film uses.
Afterall, "Anime" came from "Animation," and really, the root of all modern Anime, that being Osamu Tezuka and his "Astroboy" series, really was a homage to Disney.
(Forgive the pretentiousness of that comment).
 On: 2009-05-04
The visual art of this film are unquestionably excellent, but the film just seems to keep going on and on. Set in Victorian England the suspension of disbelief has to go into overdrive. One of the characters keeps talking about zeppelins but von Zeppelin would not be experimenting for a couple of decades yet. Other elements of the plot are incongruous as well. Even this could be forgiven if the plot was more coherent. Good for a single watch.
 On: 2009-03-16
This film was an absolute embarrassment and a genuinely regretful waste of time. It was lacking in nearly every regard, but, most importantly, it was devoid of any semblance of a coherent plot. The characters were painfully shallow, and not a single one of them could lay claim to any redeeming qualities. Any and all tension felt was the result of constant obnoxious explosions amidst the chaotic ridiculousness someone tried to pass off as a film.
As the film transitions from one inane conversation to the next, perhaps the only thing worth taking note of is the excellent detail work that was put into making the backgrounds and crafting the environments. Unfortunately, the backgrounds are relegated to inanity owing to the simple fact that valves and pipes are bursting endlessly from the opening minutes to the closing credits. The tension that should have been felt when key characters pulled what were described as important levers or turned similarly important valves was entirely negated since there seemed to be steam coming out of absolutely everything in the entire film.
Never has a film striven so greatly toward exhausting its credibility budget.
Do not waste your time with Steamboy.
On: 2008-12-17
Steamboy is a film directed and co-written by Katsuhiro Otomo. The film was in production for ten years and utilized more than 180,000 drawings and 440 CG cuts. With a production cost of $26,000,000, Steamboy is the most expensive full length Japanese animated movie produced to date.
The animation in Steamboy is very well done, and the viewer can tell that a lot of time was taken to produce the film. As you watch, you can also see how torn Ray is when hes having to decide whether to help his father or his grandfather. A viewer can also tell that an alternate history was utilized. While steam is the main source of power, there are some elements of the technology utilized that either wouldnt have existed yet, or progressed faster than they did in our timeline.
This DVD release of Steamboy contains several special features, and on the special features menu, they are split out into: Featurettes, Animation Onion Skins, Production Drawings, and Previews. Under "Featurettes," there are a total of four items included. The first is an almost nineteen-minute documentary about producing the English dub of Steamboy, which includes interviews with some of the voice actors and some of the crew members involved with the dub. Next is a five-minute interview with director Katsuhiro Otomo. Otomo is speaking in Japanese, but instead of putting subtitles on the bottom of the screen, an American voice-over is dubbed over Otomos voice. Personally, I found this rather annoying. Next is a "Multi-Screen Landscape Study," which is a nineteen-minute piece that aired on three screens at a Steamboy exhibition. Here, subtitles are utilized to translate the spoken Japanese. "The Adventure Continues" is a textless version of the ending credits, which serve as a kind of epilogue for the film.
The "Animation Onion Skins" runs for about four-and-a-half minutes, and shows the various developmental stages of five scenes (which shows everything from rough animation to final scenes). "Production Drawings" runs for almost six minutes, and it shows paintings that had been done as the sets were developed. The "Previews" menu includes several previews of both anime and non-anime releases from the studio that released Steamboy.
Overall, Steamboy is a great film. Its one I would recommend to anime fans that are thirteen years of age and older.
 On: 2008-10-03
You wont find a bigger fan of Anime than me. I still have all of my old Streamline VHS tapes, including Akira. Mechanically, Otomos attention to detail is extraordinary--the man explains everything. Hes so anal about every little system that I wonder if he ever gets out and around real people. That would account for how intimately he knows machines, yet how poorly hes able to program real human feelings and situations into his work. With Otomo, Everything is so apocalyptic and gargantuan that the characters are reduced to atoms. Therein lies the problem with his movies. Akira, Steamboy, etc.-- the characters in all of his films are cardboard and generic. Otomos films are overrated and hes overrated. Watching Steamboy is like watching an autopsy. If he could have put half as much effort into the characters, Steamboy would have been an ok film.
On: 2008-09-12
I nearly skipped this film altogether after reading some of the more negative reviews, but Im a steampunk fan so it was inevitable that I would see it. Im glad I did.
While Steamboy has its flaws, I feel it does manage to convey the heart of what Steampunk is all about better than almost any other film, and better than many books. For example, Steamboy is far better than the horrible though much hyped League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Personally Id be hard pressed to name a book that comes close - the slow and thickly-plotted The Difference Engine is touted as the ultimate Steampunk novel, but in my view it somehow fails to engage the reader. In my view the only things that have achieved Steamboys level of faithfulness to the genre are the comic book Scarlet Traces and perhaps Michael Moorcocks A Nomad of the Time Streams.
Having said all that, Steamboy does have its flaws, many of which have been covered by other reviewers. I was a little bothered by the character names - Ray Steam doesnt seem like a very Victorian - or realistic - name to me, and Scarlett OHara, well, the less said about that the better. Also, there are some plot holes that you could drive a truck through, but the action is paced so well that they are easy to forgive. Finally, some of the voice acting (I watched the English-dubbed version) is patchy in places, but the actors had a very tricky job, considering that they were speaking in an accent (Mancunian) that was not their own (Patrick Stewart is from Yorkshire, so it wasnt too much of a stretch for him, but Alfred Molina is from London and Anna Paquin is Canadian), and considering that they were expected to achieve a level of realism that most Western animated films dont aspire to.
But all-in-all, Steamboy is a fine example of anime, and a fine film for both steampunk enthusiasts and for fans of anime. Some of the visuals are truly amazing and the film includes just about every steampunk contraption imaginable. These aspects, along with a story and characterizations that are truly engaging, will allow casual viewers to enjoy what would otherwise be a movie that might appeal only to a very small niche market.
 On: 2008-06-18
When I saw a preview of Steamboy and the obvious gorgeous animation I knew I needed to buy a copy. Its a nice story with an interesting 19th science premise and top notch Japanese animation on a par with the very best. There may be a few too many valve and lever adjustments here and there, but overall it is a gem. Beautiful music theme!
On: 2008-04-05
Any fan of Anime, or the work of Director Katsuhiro Otomo (you will most likely know him for his work on Akira), will appreciate this film. While not reaching the depth and intricate plot of Akira, this is still a worthy addition to your collection. There are a few missteps in the animation choices, but most viewers wont notice, and will find this a great voyage through alternate history. The vocal dubbing in English is superb, and the voices are provided by a stellar list of actors - including the renowned Patrick Stewart.
On: 2008-02-20
...with a great character driven plot, with characters who all have their own needs, wants, dreams and ideas for the future. Science can be a tool of mankind or a weapon and in this full length animated film the many sides, dangers and rewards of science is explored. Add good artwork, perfect voices and lots of cool steam powered machinery, lots of extras and you should have five stars.
But, and I say this knowing it will sound a tad whiny, it seems a tad long. Not very long, more like ten minutes long. The kind of long that editing a few seconds out of a scene here and there would have helped. Get it new or used, but if you are an anime fan you should see it once.
On: 2008-02-16
Let me start by saying that this is a really good animated film (It is a bit of an acquired taste to begin with though). The attention to detail is amazing and the look of the steam-powered technology really does blend rather well with the somewhat victorian setting. Overall, its a pretty impressive film, even if it drags in some areas. A five out of five for the movie by itself.
However, the dub is what really kills it. I would be willing to say that about 60% of the characters dubbed voices match the characters themselves. Yes, that includes Patrick Stewart and Alfred Molina. Its the voices of the young boys that kills it.
In the original Japanese film, women voiced the boys. This is a common practice, and actually in the Japanese version, the voices fit pretty well. Its the voice actresses they have for the English dub that dont even come close.
On a personal note, I had a very hard time buying into the idea that those were the voices of young boys. Sony should have played it safe and had young actors in that age group do the voices.
The main protagonist, James Steam (Steamboy), was dubbed by Anna Paquin. If the fact that her voice sticks out like a sore thumb doesnt do it, the bad british accent will.
This is definately one you will want to watch subtitled with the original Japanese voices. It makes the movie that much more enjoyable. I would reccomend it if you dont mind reading subtitles.
-Matt
On: 2008-01-28
The strangest thing about Steamboy is not that its amazing, but that so much of the original was missed by european audiences.
I saw the original uncut japanese edition at a film festival when it first came out - I was astounded to hear how much shorter it was-
to explain simply, the english version (hitherto released as the standard on DVD) cuts twenty (yes, thats right) minutes off of the end. Twenty minutes which actually make it a decent ending, as opposed to a pathetically predictable one for persons so stupid they cant take an original twist on standard three-act structural narrative directions.
But, back to the film. In essense the film blends modern animation - both 3d and 2d - better than any previous film, making possibly the most visually stunning animation picture ever produced, to date- you never stop to think, oh, that bits 3D, because it never is obvious.
A skillfully developed storyline means that unlike other anime blockbusters such as Akira, it never feels that the action is forced into too small a length of time, or that the storyline falls prey to a predictable and long setup, which seems to be the norm for hollywood cartoon films (bar pixars work).
The story is a parable of science, the pursuit of power, and why americans shouldnt have access to the worlds latest technologies (I dont think Japans quite over Hiroshima yet). At the end of the day, dont listen to some fat manga-head who insists that the film isnt up to scratch in terms of their cultural preconceptions of what Japan is all about. Like any film, this should be appreciated in its own right, and in that, it is splendid. One of the few watchable manga films in the world.
Best on the largest screen you have.
Now to the release itself. The Directors Cut is, in fact, the original Japanese version, replete with original 20 minutes missing from the "standard edition". If you watch it in english, be prepared for some of the worst voice-acting in the history of cinema, as americans laughably try to pass themselves off as cockney in typically terrible fashion. It doesnt work, and makes the film utterly ingratiating to watch. Ignore this. Listen to it in Japanese, youll be fine. Nothing wrong with the Japanese voiceovers, as is usually the case. The quality of the sound is great, as it should be, and is one of the best aspects of this film, in my opinion. Image quality leaves a lot to be desired, but should be alright on a standard tv.
If you watch this on a lcd screen or computer monitor however, be prepared for a grainy, weak image quality. Why this should be is beyond me, but clearly the encoders havent done their job particularly well. None of this matters during the later parts, which are usually fast-moving action sequences,
but it is fairly noticeable in the earlier sections.
Buy it. This film deserves to go down in recent history as one of the great modern cartoon films-
m@
On: 2007-12-23
Steam-punk is sort of the retro version of cyberpunk -- 19th century gears and punch cards instead of electronics and computers. Its 1866 and the Drs. Lloyd and Edward Steam, father and son, have invented the "steam ball," a soccer-ball-sized contraption that will contain and control steam pressure far greater than any boiler. (How it works and how you get the steam in there is brushed aside -- fortunately.) They use this fantastic new energy source, financed by the mysterious OHara Foundation, to construct and power the Steam Tower, now on display near the Crystal Palace at Londons Great Exhibition. But the Foundation is really in the international arms business and the Steam Tower is their greatest weapon yet, including steam-powered-augmented armored solders ("steam troopers"), flying machines, submarines, and the Tower itself, which stomps around London like a gigantic metal godzilla. And whos to bring an end to this carnage? Why, Ray Steam, the adolescent scion of the Steam family and a genius inventor himself. It takes awhile before you figure out who are the Good Guys and who are the Baddies, and even then youre never quite sure. In fact, the moral of the whole story appears to be: Never trust anyone when it comes to corporate greed and weapons profits. Theres lots of neat stuff here, including Rays steam-powered omnicycle, and the enemys huge iron waldoes, and especially Rays makeshift quasi-rocket platform. My favorite character, though, is the arrogant, spoiled, egotistical, and completely self-involved Miss Scarlett ("Scarlett OHara" -- right) who wanders in and out of danger in pursuit of her own wishes. This film was directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of AKIRA, and the pace and dialogue is spot-on, as is the quality of the artwork. The plot is a bit weak in places -- this is far from Otomos best work -- but its not bad. Im told the English voiceover version featured Patrick Stewart, Anna Paquin, and other big Hollywood names, but I preferred to watch the Japanese version with subtitles.
On: 2007-10-18
This is a great movie by all means. Im not a fan of anime but I watch some from time to time and in my opinion all the factors of a good anime such as high drawing quality, smooth motion and a great storyline all exist in this movie.
However, try to get it on a DVD because the one missing star was for the limited picture quality offered by the PSP, real movies look great on the PSP, but for this movie since its animated some flaws like too dark frames and not very smooth lines are visible.
On: 2007-08-26
As far as Anime goes, Katsuhiro Ôtomo is a heavy hitter. This movie is not as grand and ambitions as anything hes done that Ive seen, ok Im comparing it to Akira. I enjoyed Steam boy, the story was fun and very interesting and the setting (1866 England) was very well done and added a certain depth and intrigue to the storyline and characters. I think this film doest have the "teeth" that Akira did but Im not sure it need them or is trying to be that. This film is not depressing or sinical but up lifting and spited. Like many Amines of recent memory the plot is very evolved and looses you in points of the film. All in all you know whats going on most of the time. This film has its flaws and some annoying character with some pacing problems. The action lags on at times but its a good little movie for anime fans. Is it Spirited away or Princess Monake (sp?) not at all but its good to see Otomo back in the saddle.
On: 2007-08-25
Absolutely loved this film and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of anime. The choice of voice-over actors was a wise call and the level of animation was second to none. Highly recommended!
by: alivingdog On: 2007-07-01
Taken on its own, this is a dazzling film. Fans comparing various anime might find reason to cavil, but I probably like it for reasons others dont. It doesnt mix and match CGI effects or use up its bag of tricks. Its not given to constantly shifting camera angles merely because computerized cameras can do that, which still seems a novelty to live action producers. It stays largely to its color palette, the dark, forbidding tones of a Dicknesian Victorian England. By comparison I found the preview for Final Fantasy VII, which some fans probably consider state of the art, extremely boring.
Steamboy plays like a filmed book, very deftly showing more than it tells. When there is speaking, it rarely clears things up, but merely adds more red herrings to the story. The film obviously owes a lot to Sherlock Holmes, as well as the earlier mechanical (as opposed to later electronic) ingenuity of The Wild Wild West TV show. But it draws subtly from these inspirations. Steamboy ends as it has to, in the epic fashion of Jules Verne and all Victorian and Edwardian visionary novels. One scene is also quite similar to the visually arresting opening of Chestertons 1905 novel, The Ball and The Cross, although the story line is entirely different. I expect that except for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the future visions of this era are largely unexplored as film territory. The ending also suggests that a sequel, or even a series could follow. But instead it does something else: depict the "continuing adventure" in poignant scenes behind the closing credits. Choosing one of the extra features runs this imaginative portrayl without the credits.
The main characters are all inventors, and all in the same lineage. The father and grandfathers long- winded speeches about Science are hard to take seriously, but the same optimistic view of a rosy future exists in numerous Victorian era books. The show also revolves around the London Exhibition and the famous Crystal Palace, then the showplace of British and world progress. But what else is the film? A parable? A puzzle? An exploration? Does the use of steam for military purposes echo other sorts of energy harnessed for destruction, as foreshadowed in the aeroplane sequences during the credits? Is the economic thralldom in which Britain was held in the nineteenth century meant to resonate in our own? If the denouement seems predictable and the ending somewhat forced, the issues that puzzle the characters nevertheless remain "live" questions in this visually spectacular and intriguing film.
On: 2007-06-08
I loved Akira, Appleseed,really most everything Studio Ghibli has ever done (Kiki, Nausicaa, Spirited, etc), Cowboy Bebop, Gundam, etc.
This one didnt grab me. The animation is every bit as good as you would expect, but the story is just weak. I was really excited when I realized this was being released, but just ended up being disappointed. Some people love it, so DEFINITELY watch before you buy!!!
If you are new to Anime - this is not a good starting point and if you have already seen it and DID enjoy it there is a whole world of great movies waiting for you! Visually, my favorite is Appleseed (2004 - there are older un-enhanced anime series shows floating around). Storywise, pick up the Studio Ghibli movie pack. This contains Spirited Away and MANY more classics (I think mine has 12 movies and it cost me a whopping 15.00 on ebay plus shipping).
On: 2007-03-29
The hand-drawn artwork combined with CGI is simply stunning in this movie, its a treat to the eyes.
The setting is 1800s England, in an alternative Steampunk past where machinery powered by steam has advanced civilization to a new age of reason - the promise of steam that if it wouldve maintained dominance in lieu of combustion, wouldve reinforced Englands dominance. Thats what steampunk is all about, after all, the investment that England made in infrastructure built for steam locked them into a future path that turned out to be weak and ill conceived in hindsight. Its a wonderful fantasy and when done well, it can be a rich alternate history. Tim Powers and Bruce Sterling create interesting Steampunk tales, and I can imagine if theyd written a story for Katsuhiro Otomo to direct, the combination would be magnificent. That said, the story just didnt work for me.
At first it was predictable, like stock parts off the fiction workshop shelf. A boy gets a powerful item of technology and has to fight his own father for the rights to assert his own will, his own ingenuity, and strike out on his own. There isnt enough background to allow the viewer to believe that this boy has the skills necessary to pull off his part in this story. There also isnt enough plot to sustain the believability of the entire story.
Bad guys are comical and wooden, good guys are stereotyped and predictable. If the movie hadnt been so pretty, Id have given it a lower rating. Fortunately, with the volume off, its a beautiful show.
- CV Rick
On: 2007-03-16
Id almost be willing to give five stars for the background animation alone. The moody colors, amazing 3D drawn landscapes, and the detail in the steam machinery were incredible eye-candy, and will delight any fan of animation.
Unfortunately, the plot is nonsensical (even for anime), the characters are truly terrible, and the cell-style 2D character animation style jars horribly with the 3D backgrounds. The characters in *Steamboy* look like amaturish paper cutouts laid over the background of a completely different movie. Even the colors dont match. (Imagine Inuyasha appearing in a scene from *Full Metal Alchemist*, and youll get the picture).
I dont really know how to review this movie, because Im so astonished by how good the background animation is. Its some of the best Ive seen anywhere, yet it has these horrible 2D characters that arent even nearly as well animated and seem to be taken from a different movie. The plot, such as it is, seems to have tacked on at the very last minute, and has already been ably evicerated by other reviewers.
Not recommended except for technical animation fans. Too bad the DVD doesnt have a "remove characters and dialog" option. Id seriously rate it higher, since the Victorian diorama-style backgrounds are truly remarkable.
by: ea_solinas On: 2007-02-16
As his follow-up to "Akira," Katsuhiro Ôtomo spent a staggering eight years producing "Steamboy," a stellar example of anime steampunk. Its full of detailed animation, solid direction and some really inspired action scenes, although the final fourth is extremely bloated. Dark, detailed, gritty and full of smoke, steam and grime.
In the mid 1800s, Dr. Lloyd Steam (Patrick Stewart) and his son Eddie Steam (Alfred Molina) are involved in top secret experimentation for the OHara Corporation. Theres a disaster which leaves only one machine intact -- the Steam Ball.
Then Eddies son Ray (Anna Paquin), a budding inventer, gets the Steam Ball in the mail -- and some thuggish Foundation men destroying the house to get the valuable machine. Ray escapes with the Ball, barely eluding the men, and ends up captured by a rogue zeppelin that tears a train apart. Great scene.
But the man in charge of this is none other than Rays father Eddie, who was terribly burned and is now part machin. Eddie, who is still working for the Foundation, is in charge of the powerful Steam Tower and all the war inventions inside. Now Rays loyalties are divided, as his father and grandfather battle in a war that has no clear "right" or "wrong" -- but which may wreck London, then the world.
If youre going to spend almost a decade working on a movie, then people expect a masterpiece. And while "Steamboy" wont change anime the way "Akira" did, its still a prime example of the steampunk genre -- Victorian English surroundings, but with steam-powered tanks, subs and other technology.
The main plot is basically about a familys conflict over different ideas about how technology should be used. But Katsuhiro Ôtomo includes a deeper meaning to the conflict -- theres no clear-cut villain and hero here, since both Eddie and Lloyd have good intentions, though one believes in peace through power, and the other knows that power corrupts.
And the animation is amazingly detailed, so you can see every puff of steam and smear of grease. No big watery eyes here. It makes the action scenes -- including a zeppelin and train almost smashing into Victoria Station -- all the more compelling. In between, we have some solid character development, such as Ray getting to know the bratty OHara heiress, and experimenting with primitive subs and machinery.
But every movie has a flaw, and "Steamboys" is that the last fourth is bloated. Its a brilliant battle -- especially the flying soldiers -- and the end itself is satisfying. But its too slow and meandering, and has too many lingering shots of the bulbous tower over London. Fortunately it regains its footing in the last few minutes, especially when Ray takes control of the plot.
Ray himself is one of the most compelling child-heroes ever -- hes genuinely smart, resourceful and mature, but hes still young. Hes only learning that not everything in life (even your family) is what it seems. And the supporting cast is also good, with a subdued Molina as Eddie and Stewart as the feisty Lloyd, who seems like an older version of Ray. And then theres Scarlett, a spoiled brat who is pretty annoying up until the final battle.
"Steamboy" suffers from a rather slow finale, but the movie itself is a brilliantly-animated, solidly-plotted adventure. Definitely worth checking out.
On: 2007-02-12
I heard a lot of buzz about this movie... even Ebert & Roper were like "Hey this is cool, check it out... two thumbs up... yea!" Ok, thats not an actual quote, but I do remember them saying good things about it when it came out. That stuck in my head for a couple of years, and I so I finally got around to buying the movie. I should have rented.
I couldnt tell you what happened after the first few scenes. I tried, but this movie sucked the life out of me. Actually, the first 30 minutes were great, but then it all went down hill after that.
I heard this movie took like 10 years to make. What a waste of time for both the creators and the audience.
Patrick Stewart does the voice of the old guy, and his character is like... manic meets whacko. Not at all what I had hoped for Patrick Stewart. I dont know how they got him to do this. He is completely out of place here.
The character of Scarlett... holy crap... what was the deal with her? Why was she even in this movie? I think they put her in here just to completely annoy the audience or they just needed to fill their quota of a sterotypical obnoxious anime-girl-with-a-parsol-and-a-pretty-dress-with-a-bow. She is the equivalent to Jar Jar Binks. Her character pretty much ruined this movie for me. Actually, had she not been in the movie at all, it would have not changed anything about the flow of the movie itself. She is a pointless character who is given way too much attention, which just added to the length of this bore-fest.
I would not recommend this movie to anyone. This movie is completely pointless.
Others have mentioned Spirited Away, and I have to admit, I really liked that movie... even though I shouldnt admit that, as a 31 year old male. That movie was sorta pointless too, but at least it was entertaining while it drove you to pointless city. Sometimes good anime movies catch my attention... I thought this would be a similar experience. It was not.
I give it two stars. One for great cinematography, and one for successfully duping me into paying hard earned money for this garbage. Good job, guys! Look for my copy on Ebay now!
On: 2007-01-06
I dont know about you but to me Steam Boy looked amazing if i couldve kept my eyes open, Damn that was one boring movie but if you can stay awake to see all the intricate designs for the machines and weapons you well be amazed however in lack of the story, buy the special version so you can get the art book which is jaw dropping.
On: 2007-01-02
Ive seen quite a bit of Anime, both good and bad, but this one does not deserve to even be called Anime. It appears to copy all the worst characteristics of modern US tradigital (2D/3D) formulaic animation techniques, and is similarly bad-- devoid of the plot intricacies, interesting characters and expressive character designs usually associated with Anime. While there are plenty of interesting steam mechanisms, thats about all it has going for it-- any sophistication ends there. The plot is simplistic, the "science" too laughable to even make decent fantasy, the character designs typical US stereotype-mannekin-formula and the personalities unengaging. The whole thing seems designed by draftsmen or accountants rather than creative artists, just like recent US produced fare. Would likely appeal only to the undiscerning youngest of kids.
Dont waste your time with this, just about anything out there in Anime is better.
by: Anonymous On: 2006-12-19
I only recently became a fan of anima dew mainly to two movies, Spirited Away and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. I love these movies with a passion, and since seeing them decided to see all f Miyazakis movies. Well, Ive seen all his movies that my local rental store has, so what now? I decided to expand my view of anima, see something else, and see if anyone can possibly be as good as Miyazaki. I saw Grave of the Fireflies and loved it.
But then I saw Steamboy. All I have to say about this movie is, well, it isnt Miyazaki. Sure the animation looks great, nothing Miyazaki has ever made looked quite this good, not even Spirited Away. But this movie lacks the fun and awe of Miyazakis works. Miyazakis movies have great, and I do mean GREAT, stories and some of the best characters ever made. Steamboy lacks both of these. The story here is pretty stupid overall. We are apparently supposed to sympathize with Rays granddad, but he was crazy. Im telling you he belonged in a loony vill, and Rays dad seemed to care about him, instead of just using him like the grandpa did.
And I never found myself actually likening these people. Ray didnt know what he wanted to do, his dad was too, whats the word, Darth Vader like, and his grandpa was crazy and preachy. Whos left? Miss? She was a brat, and a stupid one at that. Unlike in any of Miyazakis films, these people were just. . . there.
If you want to see some great anima, see Spirited Away, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, or any of Myazakis movies. Also check out Grave of the Fireflies.
On: 2006-12-12
I just watched this, and I must say it was very well done. It has great characters and good action. But, this is not very, oh, how should I put this, "anime-ish." At least, it doesnt feel like it to me. However, this is still a great movie that a fair amount of people will enjoy. Id say rent it first. (BTW, first "anime" feature film for me.....I crave more!!!)
On: 2006-11-10
I dont believe that this a ground-breaking animation feature as has been suggested. The animation was good, but certainly not great; that said, the sepia tones were effective in translating the viewer through time. The concept was certainly inventive, but all the characters were classic archetypes with little to no originality in their personalities/actions.
It took two sittings for me to finish the movie. I almost passed on the second "sitting" because I knew how the story would end. (I turned out to be right.)
On: 2006-11-09
I dont believe that this a ground-breaking animation feature as has been suggested. The animation was good, but certainly not great; that said, the sepia tones were effective in translating the viewer through time. The concept was certainly inventive, but all the characters were classic archetypes with little to no originality in their personalities/actions.
It took two sittings for me to finish the movie. I almost passed on the second "sitting" because I knew how the story would end. (I turned out to be right.)
On: 2006-10-27
I dont know anime but I know what I like. I liked "Steamboy", Katsuhiro Otomos 2004 film, even though the idea of a sort of industrial revolution era sci-fi did seem a little odd at first.
Ray Steam is a boy growing up in 1860s Manchester. His grandfather and father are both engineers, and pioneers in steam based technology. On a trip to Iceland, these relatives discovered a liquid that could be transformed into a high density, high pressure steam, which could fuel machinery with a minimum loss of energy. With this liquid, bolted up inside black metal "steam balls", almost anything can be achieved. This is science at its most powerful, and has many international eyes turned toward Great Britain. Plot and counter-plot are uncovered, intentions are made known and the Steam Castle (a giant floating fortress, powered by steam) is revealed. Rays father wants to world to see it, his grandfather wants it torn apart. Scarlett OHara, an American heiress to a businessmans fortune, is just there for the ride, and for Rays company. Ray, however, is very confused. These are very confusing times? What will he do?
Its interesting seeing England (and London in particular) through Japanese eyes. The London of "Steamboy" is a little on the theoretical side, everything looks well researched and studied, but it does lack a bit of that charm, warmth and pomp that the English landscape, architecture and people have. The accents and the use of British slang in the English dub, for instance, feel a little bit pushed. Still, it is a very atmospheric backdrop, and suits the story well, I thought. The characters are fairly interesting to watch, which keeps the more philosophical dialogue (the nature of science, etc) from seeming over the top. There is action, but it is diluted a bit by the atmosphere, the colours and the slabs of dialogue between shots. I didnt really mind though, left me time to think about what was being explored.
Special features include several making of segments, original production drawings, original theatrical trailer, and some pre-visual bits and pieces.
Worth a look for fans of anime, fans of the Victorian era and maybe lovers of the older style of sci-fi (like Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, etc).
by: mr_low_price_seller On: 2006-10-09
The Japanese should stick with making Street Fighter and Dragon Ball Z movies. At least those are good and entertaining.
Making a boreing movie like Steamboy doesnt help anybody. It is made worse by the fact that it is over 2 hours long. I watched the entire 2 hours only because I was hopeing to be entertained at the end, unfortunately I was NOT.
DONT BUY THIS MOVIE!
On: 2006-08-28
Not a big Anime fan, but happened to pick up this movie and was very satisfied. Lush cityscapes, shadowy agents, and industrial espionage centered around the the Worlds Expo in dirty, grimy, 1890s London. Some of the best animation I have ever seen!
On: 2006-08-13
I loved this movie. Maybe some people are let down because they liked Akira so much and thought it would be similar. Its not. Which is fine with me because I honestly did not like Akira. Akira was a little over my head and not to mention nauseating in some parts. This movie was easy for me to understand. I felt what the characters felt. The little boy having to choose sides in his own family-how heart breaking. In the end I believe the father and grandfather both prove to be nuts. But it shows the humanity of people-how flawed we all are. Just about everyone in this movie seems real-down to the bratty little girl. Shes spoiled rotten but how else would she act when everyone treats her like a little princess. Theres a lot of action but its never monotonous like some action movies are. I was glued to the screen the whole time. It really kept me interested and I get bored really fast if I think a movie is going no where. I dont know how anyone was bored watching this movie. If you are a fan of Miyazaki movies-youll probably like this one too. I definately plan to buy it.
On: 2006-07-24
Made by the same creator of the hugely popular, and genera revolutionizing, Akira. Strangely, this film is set in England during the industrial revolution. Sepia tones make for an excellent mood, and the visual effects alone make this movie worth watching. Yet, what makes this film so intriguing is how it sets up a unique juxtaposition between the `old feel of 19th century England, and the `new feel of high paced, technologically extravagant, modern day science fiction film... Sort of like Charles Dickens meets The Matrix.
On: 2006-07-02
Like many others, Akira was my first viewing of anime (then, "Vampire Hunter D"), so when I heard this movie was done by Otomo ("Akira"), I entered the viewing with high expectations. I was let down. The animation flows well, but is rather bland. Unlike most anime, which is futuristic (even post-apocalyptic), this story is based around the turn-of-the century 1900. Steam was the main form of power for many engines, and engineers were working on newer & better forms of steam technology. How lame is it to have the main characters family name be "Steam"?
There are some interesting concepts in the story, but over all, its a snooze-fest for most anime fans. Akira this is not. Rent the movie before you decide to buy it (unless you find it on clearance for $3 like my husband did...at least that was cheaper than a rental fee).
I think the other "in depth" reviews go over all the important points- my review is just a simple way of saying that this movie is quite a let-down. The very end of the movie is the only thing that salvages it and I give it two stars instead of one. The end is an unexpected twist on what the grandfather had planned the steam-balls for. That, and watching the snotty-little-girls dream house in England go Ka-BOOM! are the best parts of the movie (youll have to watch the movie to understand that part, so I dont think its a spoiler). JMHO.
MeOw!
>^..^<
On: 2006-06-26
A gorgeous steampunk adventure to be sure, but ultimately this feature suffers from the sameness of many anime titles: uninvolving characters and lack of plot direction -- plus the ol "teen boy saves the world" chestnut. YAWN!
While the English dub is technically fine, the voices themselves are grating. As with many cartoons, a female voices the lead young boy. She consistantly sounds like a girl, which is distracting. Similarly, the lead girl is completely obnoxious -- she is voiced with zero charm or subtlety. Shes a one-note brat you want to push off a moving train after five minutes of listening to her!
On the plus side, the DVD includes a nice featurette on the computer graphics used in the movie. Visually, this movie is fantastic! At the end of the day, its simply too long and dull at more than 2 hours!
On: 2006-06-05
The animations, illustrations and design of the visuals in Steam Boy has to be one of the top-notch in any ani-movie. The movements and settings of every character was rendered with the utmost care, with dramatic instrumental music to go with it.
Although the animations surpasses many other ani-movies, its lack in emotions and character development takes it quite far down the list. The story itself was confusing, not because of complexity, yet because the film had too much in too little time, giving the viewer barely any time to sum up the information. In short: too much, too soon. The film focuses a little overboard on the animations and effects instead of the story and characters, resulting in a totally non-emotionally driven film at all. If compared to other films of its own genre, such as AppleSeed, Steam Boy fails in many developmental and spiritual aspects. But if you are a fan of kick-arse animation, then this is the film for you.
Excellent, breathtaking scenes and good old classic music makes this film a must-watch for any fans who liked APPLESEED, or Akira.
On: 2006-05-18
ok...i waited forever for this movie to come out what with the budget problems and the massive delay in production and id like to say it was worth the wait...but...it wasnt. it looks great, sounds great, the concept is good and all but, well, it could have been better...and dare i say...longer? the character development was not there, the technology seems to be overshadowed but the drawn out over simplified plot. i tried to watch this movie three time and fell asleep twice. the little girl...scarlet ohara...i mean come on. must have ran out of the money in the creative name budget. i may have to give it another chance in japanese with subtitles because this voice over was almost as painful as princess mononoke. patrick stewart was the only real talent in the entire voice over cast. not enough. all in all...what had potential to be an awesome movie turns out to be a drawn out over simplified, under explained, extremely high budget animated movie that left me feeling cheated. i dont know what happened with this film but maybe he should have given up at the first sign of problems.
On: 2006-05-17
While visually stunning, STEAMBOY suffers miserably for being a plot driven film with poor character development. Action, action, action, all at the expense of an interesting story.
A boys scientist father and grandfather are at odds over a weapon theyve devised, and the boy is thrown in the mix, conflicted, attempting to resolve who is right and who is abusing science.
Unfortunately, the films story develops at a too fast clip, spending more time loving itself for how great it looks. Its a shame, because the design and production values are top notch.
Its worth watching from an animation enthusiasts point of view, but know going in that its a yawner. Action without emotional investment from the viewer amounts to boring viewing.
On: 2006-05-16
While visually stunning, STEAMBOY suffers miserably for being a plot driven film with poor character development. Action, action, action, all at the expense of an interesting story.
A boys scientist father and grandfather are at odds over a weapon theyve devised, and the boy is thrown in the mix, conflicted, attempting to resolve who is right and who is abusing science.
Unfortunately, the films story develops at a too fast clip, spending more time loving itself for how great it looks. Its a shame, because the design and production values are top notch.
Its worth watching from an animation enthusiasts point of view, but know going in that its a yawner. Action without emotional investment from the viewer amounts to boring viewing.
On: 2006-05-03
As Akira is one of my favourite anime films, I was excited to hear that Katsuhiro Otomo was making another anime flick. I was very curious about Steamboy for a long time and knew it wasnt going to be as good as Akira. I was right. Steamboy is not as good as Akira but what a film it is. With fantastic visuals and a great story, Steamboy has what a Japanime needs. The concept of setting a time in a futuristic 1930s, is a genius idea. Where robotic technology is steam powered.
Steamboy is an instant classic and a very enjoyable film that resembles Akira. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested.
by: devotedfan On: 2006-04-27
A movie that starts slow but good and builds to a massive scope of action and imagination, "Steamboy" is yet another example of how vast the field of anime has become. Set in a London of 1866 just like the one in history books and set on the metaphorical eve of events that will change human history and cause the world to diverge from our future. Most of the movies main characters are members of the Steam family (fourteenish-Ray Steam is the title character), and the father and grandfather of the family, away for years working in America, have discovered a method of harnessing steam power to far greater yields than anything ever seen in our world. This new technology puts the two against each other and starts the ball rolling toward the 1866 London Industrial Fair, and a sudden turning point in the worlds history that occurs in a few hours of a single day. Much of the movie is spent trying to decide which side one, as the viewer, wants to be on, what the true motivations of the various characters really are, and who is telling the truth about what. As with the rest of the movie, this angle of uncertainty is very well done. A tour-de-force of visual imagery and epic ideas, masterfully animated, this one in my opinion far outdoes director Katsuhiro Otomos previous full-length anime "Akira". One thing of special note: youll want to stay for the full end credits and watch the backgrounds changing stills-imagery for astonishing glimpses of the future world of "Steamboy", far more than enough to make a powerful case for a sequel as soon as possible.
On: 2006-04-20
I am an animator myself and a fan of animation when it is good, but I am not an anime fanboy. I dont care to read subtitles. If something comes from Japan that does not automatically make it more special to me, but I know quality when I see it. This is a quality piece of work.
The artwork is smooth, the camera moves are brilliantly devised and the style and detail are appropriate to the subject. In fact, the attention to detail is stunning.
This is a story that could be classified under a recently recognised genre of speculative fiction, or science fiction called "Steampunk." This term probably derives from the novel, "The Difference Engine" co-authored by William Gibson, noted cyberpunk writer. In that novel, Babbages Analytical Engine or Difference Engine, a mechanical computer which operated by a series of gears, more like an adding machine than todays electronic computers, came into common use much earlier than it in fact did. Another movie that might fall into this category is "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." Like "The Difference Engine," this movie has technologies (robotics, powered flight and similar concepts) coming into existence much earlier than actually happened, but under the power of steam thanks to a revolutionary advance in containing great pressure.
19th century England is well-rendered here with fantastic attention to setting and detail. Amazingly, I believe that most of the cultural icons used are very well handled. Even the sermon by Steamboys father about the awesome power of science fits very accurately into the period.
It is also true that to the western audience some of the conflict between the father and grandfather will come across as childish and grating. Particularly the obligatory platitudes about how bad and petty a thing earning money is. As if movies werent made to make money. I would probably lose my lunch if I had to say some of the lines that Patric Stewart did. Though at least the warmongering state gets shown for what it is when it tries to take control of the source of steam power in its turn. The movie concludes with a very Japanese seeming melancholy and confusion about the effects of technological power rather than the unbridled triumph more common at the end of western adventure movies. But between Steamboys hopeful attitude an excellent closing soundtrack and a sequence of images that I suppose is meant to hint at the future adventures of the characters it leaves you with an overall positive feeling.
The English dub is done extremely well. Far better than most of the foreign movies Ive seen in the last two years. Anna Paquin does a fantastic job on the lead character and Patric Stewart adds believability (He is a native of the region his character is supposed to have come from.) to another very prominent character. So far as I could tell the exact same words were used in the dub as in the subtitles included in this version.
There are many elements that are handled well and the examination of the dawn of the 20th century in the west through the Japanese lens all help to make this a fresh and unique movie experience. The dub and the musical score are fantastic.
On: 2006-02-24
The movie was just as promised. Also the movie itself was very good. Excellent artistry and plot. Very enjoyable
by: canadian3 On: 2006-02-20
Its a common law that only gets broken rarely: the more anticipated something is, the less likely chance itll meet or exceed expectations. A new cd by a band you love might not be that great. The follow-up to a directors past masterpiece falls below expectations. Steamboy is one of those kind of films where theres an obvious enthusiasm and passion involved, its just not what it shouldve been.
Were in the mid 1800s right smack in the middle of the Industrial Revolution in Europe. Steam is the big thing so when Ray Steam(very lazy name) gets his hands on an odd "Steam ball", he soon becomes a target for the OHara Foundation. They want to harness the power of the ball for their own needs(which obviously dont benefit anyone) so Ray has to keep the ball away from people who would want to use it.
One thing that made Akira enjoyable was that the story just seemed to unfold without any hiccups(even if you couldnt understand it). Steamboys pacing is incredibly off since it feels so SLLOOOWWW. So much happened yet I was only 40 minutes in. It doesnt help that theres not much to the story either. The moral of the story it seems is that technology for personal use is bad while technology benefiting everyone is good. Granted you could say its something else but the film is so black and white that youd have to say it like that. Many technology we use we actually use on our own or for our own needs.
The characters arent really that interesting either and dont go through much change. Ray is your typical hero that saves the day when he doesnt exactly possess the skills to do so, its more through luck. Theres Scarlett, your very typical spoiled brat who wants things her way and for us to answer everything or criticize when we dont know it. Usually in films they learn their lesson but here, shes still bossy and spoiled. The only one that really goes through any amount of change is our "villain" but he has a big change of heart incredibly quickly youre like "gee that was fast".
Now all those negatives and some positives? Of course and its the animation. Using 3D, the animation looks very stylized and fluid without being a bit obvious. A lot of 2D/3D mixtures tend to be very noticeable to distinguish the 2 but here its almost flawless. I say almost because certain characters in early scenes almost looked pasted onto the background.
Now I didnt watch the english dub but its probably good since it has reliable Patrick Stewart and Alfred Molina and Anna Paquin...playing a boy. Yes, Rogue from X-Men is playing a teenage boy. She even mentions in the special features that the ADR people had to tell her to say things more lower register. Why they didnt just get a young guy actor or an older one with good range to do it is beyond me.
Is it a great film? No. Terrible film? No. In the middle? Most definately. If youre an anime fan, you should check it out but since this is a highly anticipated project from the man who brought you Akira, youll probably find it wont live up to your expectations.
by: bkeithg On: 2006-01-23
Im a fan of Akira (as most people reviewing here are) and I enjoyed Steamboy just slightly less. Ive gotten older since I saw Akira, my views on the world are different and animation has changed in that time too. I thought the animation was gorgeous in this movie but as I was watching it I couldnt help but think its just not ground breaking. Of course thats not intended as a criticism. Its almost impossible to be ground breaking today the way Akira was when it first came out and for several years after. I love the hand drawn stuff but computer animation loses some of the ability to awe. Thats not a fair assessment however. Steamboy is a work of art in its own right.
The story moved along at a good pace in my opinion. It wasnt any slower than Spirited Away or Royal Space Force - Wings of Honneamise. The slow quiet moments allowed a better appreciation of the beautiful images and animation. The problem with the story wasnt the pacing but the clichéd anti-capitalist rants. It is too simplistic a world view. The movie wants it both ways. The overt message is violence and war are wrong while the action is fetishizing that violence. The battle scenes have a how-cool-is-this look and feel to them. The artists arent necessarily trying to see how beautiful they can make war but thats the end result.
The underlying themes in this movie are certainly similar to Akira and while Ive heard it said this film is more viewer friendly there are still some deeper things going on that are less obvious. While I thought the anti-capitalist messages were almost niavé they were still thought provoking (but just a little). It would be getting carried away to say there was anything more deep and meaningful going on here than comic book philosophy.
In the end the movie is gorgeous to look at with a lot of senses numbing action sequences and good entertainment
On: 2006-01-18
The anti-corporate stance taken by the grandfather was tiring and old. The father was cliched. The story could have been MORE interesting if it didnt play on these old themes of corporations bad, weapons evil which is the basis for this movie. The animation is good, not great, the voice acting is very well done (though I would have had an actual boy voice the lead role) and the overall plot is intersting. This would have gotten 4 stars, easy, if the politics of the movie were more subtle.
On: 2006-01-14
There is some really beautiful animation and some great design in Steamboy, but the story and characters are just not very compelling.
On: 2005-12-25
Im a big fan of Japanese anime, but Akira and Steamboy are probably the least favorite anime movies Ive seen. I guess I just dont care for this director.
Steamboy was quite boring and you could turn your volume off for the last 1/2 of the movie and not miss much.."turn the shutoff valve, floor 2, get outta there" etc. Maybe if I had an interest in steam engines it would have been more interesting.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-12-22
How can you not like this movie its one of my animes ever. I have seen Akeria and I like it a lot. The story was great,but it wasnt my favorite. Steamboy is great. I love the story and the charters were great. There was a great twist in the plot.
One person that gave a 1 star didnt even talk about why he didnt like it. some thing about some shipment thing. No one cares dude.
So if you are looking for a great anime go for steamboy
On: 2005-10-26
This is a great movie, i loved every minute of it. It takes place in old times which makes it even better. The animation is a 10star, the voice acting is a 10star, and the Music is an 11star. It was all great and This is the best movie i have seen. I have seen Akira and it was a great movie, but Steamboy is a lot better. It is a movie you can watch with anybody. I dont understand the PG-13 rating since i caught no bad words or anything of the sort. There is also a feature where you can watch the end credits without the words, and an interview with Katsuhiro Otomo, Re-voicing the movie, and a few other great things. And it says mastered in High Definition!!! I will say it again this is the best movie i have seen in a while.
by: tonyadpx On: 2005-10-18
Steamboy is no Akira, and for many fans I think this will end up as a crime. Akira was a complex, violent, and disturbing film. Steamboy seems more akin to Walt Disney. Unfortunately for me, I bought this movie expecting Akira and I was obviously disappointed. But then I watched it a second time; I forced myself to, with a mindset that didnt include Akira. I told myself that Ive seen and enjoyed anime of this type before (Spirited Away), so it couldnt be all that bad.
I was right. The film was excellent the second time (and the first time as well, only I was of the mind to hate it because of its less-mature themes). In the end, I realized it was actually very close to Akira in that it was a story of a young boy trying to save his family and friends from a technological catastrophe, and has to do all this with very mixed emotions of what is right and wrong (no more spoilers, I promise). When I realized how good this movie actually was, I also realized that, like Akira, its a groundbreaker. It proves what Studio Ghibli has been attempting to prove on its own: that anime does not have to be violent, strange, or downright macabre to be good.
Pick this film up if you want to see a new side to anime. And remember, its no Akira, Ghost in the Shell, or Ninja Scroll, but it still deserves its name among these anime greats.
by: darkgenius On: 2005-10-16
Im still learning the ropes when it comes to anime, which means I cant compare Steamboy to Katsuhiro Otomos legendary Akira. I can, however, say that I enjoyed Otomos contribution to the film Memories more than I did Steamboy. Both share the same kind of heavily industrial world of the past, cast in sepia-like tones reflecting an atmosphere of gloom. That was more than okay for Memories "Cannon Fodder," but the world of Steamboy eventually grew tiresome to me. The animation of this film is excellent, but it consisted of far too many scenes of exploding machinery, to the detriment of character development and storyline. Frankly, I just didnt care about this plot all that much.
Youve got a young, inventive boy who finds himself in the middle of a conflict over the nature of science. Its an argument that will erupt in loud, frightening chaos over the city of London. The boys name is Ray Steam, and steam is definitely the key word in all of this. Ray receives a parcel from his grandfather containing an ultra-powerful "steamball," and almost at once hes forced to honor his grandfathers request to keep it out of the hands of "the Foundation." His father, however, or at least a somewhat mechanized version of him, happens to be in cahoots with the Foundation, and he begins to win his son over to his own version of science. He has used the vast power of steam to take his own fathers vision of a Steam Castle and turn it into a well-armed weapon, complete with steam-powered flyers, subs, and mechanized fighters. The grandfather, looking much the worse for wear, shows up to try and sabotage his evil sons efforts, and he confronts Ray with his own peaceful vision of science. Fortunately for the audience, theres a spoiled little rich girl (by the name of Scarlett OHara - I kid you not) to add some life to all this philosophizing and artificiality. The whole thing soon breaks down into a not-so-small war over London. If you like explosions and scenes of utter destruction in your anime, youll definitely want to check out Steamboy. Thats about all youll find in the second half of the film.
To me, Steamboy is a case of style over substance. None of the characters are as fully developed as I would have liked, and the whole story never manages to take on very much depth. Motion pictures, even anime, cannot live on cinematography alone if they want to be truly successful. With its underdeveloped storyline, Steamboy just didnt prove satisfying to me.
by: drbernabo On: 2005-09-27
After directing "Akira" in 1988, Katsuhiro Ôtomo avoided making another feature length anime for years. In 1991 he did a live action film, the horror-comedy "Warudo apaatoment hora" and then in 1995 he did the "Cannon Fodder" segment for "Memories." He wrote the scripts for Hiroyuki Kitakubos "Rôjin Z" in 1991 and adopted Osamu Tezukas manga for Rintaros "Metoroporisu" in 2001. But it was not until 2004 that Ôtomo helmed "Steamboy" and left himself open to the inevitable comparisons of this two-hour anime with the classics in the field in which he had a major hand.
On the one hand "Steamboy" is as visually stunning as you would expect, albeit in a decidedly different way from "Akira" and "Metroporisu." This time around Ôtomo is not telling a futuristic story, but one set in 1866 in the London of Victorian England, which mandates sepia toned colors rather than working with a palate of bright neon colors. That alone justifies a different look to "Steamboy," and the chief attraction for this anime are the hand-drawn animation, enhanced by computers, of the massive machines of gears and pistons. But there is another interesting consequences to the setting of "Steamboy," which is that for the first time with a Japanese anime I am recommending that you listen to the English audio track rather than the Japanese. Since the characters are actually English, then for once it makes sense to go this route. Besides, we are talking Patrick Stewart as grandfather Dr. Lloyd Steam, Alfred Molina as his son Dr. Eddie Steam, and Anna Panquin as James Ray Steam, who is the films title figure.
The key idea behind "Steamboy" is to recast the Industrial Revolution of the 19th-century with steam now holding a power and promise akin to atomic energy after World War II, although I guess scientifically the power is more like a jet engine (but the implications for transforming the world strike me as being more in the realm of the idealized future represented by atomic power). Ray Steam is a boy inventor who comes into possession of "steam ball," and then finds himself in a struggle between his father, who has become part-machine and power mad, and his grandfather, who turns into a wild-eyed Cassandra of gloom and doom. The evil Dr. Steam is building an army with steam-powered tanks, mechanical armor suits, and even steam jet packs for aerial assaults. If Ôtomo did not read Jules Verne at some point in his life I would be really surprised, because "Steamboy" owes as much to Vernes writing as it does to James Bond spy films and Tom Swfit adventures.
However, the story is just not up to the grandeur of the animation, which involves not only the captivating combination of hand-drawn animation and computers, but also some great camera movement. If this were a live-action film we would be talking about the impressive cinematography, especially since Ôtomo seems to make a point of going for angles you are unlikely to get in the real world. So there is more than just the retro look of "Steamboy" to recommend when it comes to the visuals of this 2004 film. But Ôtomo does not explore the steam technology as much as I would have liked, so that a promising idea becomes rather conventional and the substance behind the style ends up being disappointing. Even the big debate behind the power play is childishly simplistic, so we are not dealing with a potent allegory either. Besides, I was waiting for there to be more of a payoff to the character of Scarlett OHara (Kari Wahlgren). Then again, it is entirely possible that Ôtomo is never going to top "Akira" (what has James Cameron really done since "Titanic"?) and even with its faults "Steamboy" is certainly worth watching.
On: 2005-09-22
I have been on an anime kick for sometime. My latest anime pic I recently rented is Katsuhiro Otomos "Steamboy". The story takes place during the industrial revolution. A young boy named James Ray Steam receives a package from his grandfather which contains a powerful ball that pretty much harnesses the power of steam. Just as the package gets to his home, two suspicious looking gentlemen arrives at his home and tries to take the ball from James. James doesnt allow the agents to take them when he sees the note from his grandfather that the men are not good. This quickly sets off a chase between these agents and James. Slowly but surely the premise of the film of the goodness of humanity vs. the evils and dangers of technology is revealed.
I loved the animation of the film. The combination of hand drawn animation and computer generated animation was gorgeous, especially towards the end of the film. The first hour of the film had me deeply engrossed but the last hour started to drag on for me. Sometimes I think directors cut versions of films are really not necessary cause they have a tendency to bog down the story of the film, and this is the case here on "Steamboy". I also was annoyed for most of the film by Miss Scarlett. I never understood her relationship to Dr. Eddie Steam. I only watched the Japanese version. America needs to stop ruining anime films with their dreadful English dubbing. It just takes so much away from the magic of what the Japanese created. All in all I did like "Steamboy" but the pace of the film was too slow for me at times.
On: 2005-09-19
I purchased this as a request from a young man in Australia and it has been sent to him!
On: 2005-09-17
I, being a (self-proclaimed) animation oficionado, know somewhat of the reputation of Katsuhiro Otomo. I, myself have never seen AKIRA (yes, I know I should), but after hearing how good this guy was, I wanted to see Steamboy.
So, I rented it from Blockbuster and popped it into my DVD player. I watched the beautiful steam effects and animation. I will give him credit for the fact that his movie was visually beautiful. However, I could see some definite things that needed fixing.
In the first "act" of the movie, the pace was good, exciting; interesting things happened; the story moved along and kept you interested. The characters were interesting and we didnt get bogged down TOO much in exposition. The chases were superb, and that steam bike-wheel invention of Rays was, I have to say, awesome.
Im sad that I cant say the same for the rest of the movie.
In the second "act", we are introduced to Scarlett and wonder why Otomo ditched Emma for this loser; Rays dad and grandfather spout endless, stock philosophy; and Ray pretty much sits around and listens. There was only character fattening here for the father and grandfather, not fleshing out. And every time you think, "Hey, Scarlett might be okay after all," she contradicts herself and makes you hate her even more.
Finally, theres the third act of the movie, where things pick up again--not quite to the level of the first act, but SO much better in comparison to the second act that it looks like a gift from heaven. Ray and the others actually do some useful, good things (even Scarlett! *shock and amazement*), and (better yet) theres only minimal philosophy-spouting! Yayness! There are a couple of pretty annoying things there (like not getting to see Ray catch Scarlett), but overall it was good. Not great, but good.
Then theres the end credits--and I guess theyre okay for some people, but I thought that they really didnt need any of them but seeing his house rebuilt and him coming home. That would be the fairy tale moment to end it at. I guess Im just an old-fashioned romantic, but the rest of them seem unnessecary to me.
So, bottom line:
Rent it, dont buy it.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-09-15
Steamboy is a movie i have never seen before. It brings future facts and machines to the 19th century. Truly amazing animation, great story. The music was truly adventurous and spectacular. The ending blew me away. One of the best animes and movies i have ever seen.
by: wiredweird On: 2005-09-10
This movie is unlike Otomos "Akira" in evey way but one: excellence. Although the movie is set in Victorian England, its thoroughly Japanese. For one thing, the metal monster tears up the city in the big finale - this time, the city is London. Its a good story, though, with an enticing bit of sequel-bait at the end.
The animation is all you could hope for. Im convinced Otomo picked Victorian technology because its so visually understandable, so easy to respond to. A silicon chip may have far more potential in it, but huge clashing gears, striking sparks as they engage, project a tangible sense of power. Voice commands to a computer could have consequences of any magnitude, but it means a lot more to see human muscle wrestling against a giant lever.
The good vs. bad technology issue is drawn without subtlety, but probably works at a level that kids can approach. Its kid-friendly in other ways, too: theres some violence, but bloodless, people keep their clothes on, and some ugly realities of steam technology have been tamed. Pipes and boilers burst a few times in the movie, but no one really gets hurt by it - when that happened in the real world, people died in horrific ways.
Its not Akira, but rises to Akiras standards in every way. Steamboy is a new requirement for any collection of anime.
//wiredweird
by: hhuffm On: 2005-09-07
Akiras creator is back with a vengeance with his new offering: "Steamboy".
This adventure film tour-de-force centers around a family of inventors and how their creations changed (and almost destroyed) the world. The whole movie reminds me alot of the old "Rocketeer" graphic novels (especially if you watch the closing credits).
This movies main message that technology is a double edged sword is hammered home in grand style utilizing some truly amazing graphics.
Well worth your cash, more Steam Boy please....
On: 2005-09-07
Ive always been interested in animation from Japan and it amazes me with their inventive style on reality. Steam powered universe is a very different concept and the way it was portrayed in the movie was ingenuis!!
On: 2005-09-06
The animation of Steamboy is nothing less than breathtaking. I really loved how they rotated the "camera" angles during periods of chase and shifted the background to move with the character. It made the film seem more alive. The creators of the film seemed to focus in too much upon the animation though and less upon character development and plot.
The three main characters are a Grandfather, Father and Son (Old Mr. Steam, Middle-aged Mr. Steam and Kid Steam). Each is fairly fleshed out, but the son is rather typical and bland. The most interesting of which is probably the excitable grandfather. The father was uhh prophetic.
All together it was a great film, and my eyes were glued to the screen watching it. The end animation sequences tended to draw out a bit and the plot/character development was bland. Overall tho, worthy to pick up to add to anyones anime collection.
On: 2005-09-01
this was one of the most beautiful animated movies i have watched. everything from the entwining machinery to the fast paced action sequences left me in awe. the storyline was a bit dry during the first half of the movie with the exception of a chase scene involving a steam powered automobile and a train. you could just tell that the creators of this movie were so deeply involved with the way the movie looked that they somewhat sidestepped the editting process. same thing happened with the first final fantasy movie. overall though, this was still a gorgeous picture worth a look by any fan of anime.
On: 2005-08-25
One reason for hating this movie would be the dub. Its one of the worst Ive heard in a long time. DO NOT WATCH THE DUB! Especially for your first viewing. Roger Ebert gave this a negative review (after watching the dub) for having a nonsensical storyline. Well, the subbed version I saw in the theatre (Im lucky enough to live in a city where it played), made lots of sense and was actually quite simple. Its a story about science, more specifically energy, and how to use it. Different ideologies are represented by different characters. Eventually these opinions manifest into physical action, in a battle, and the film ends with what I can only describe as the opposite of a big explosion! Cool! Original!
Having said that, this film (like Akira) is not really about story and characters. This film is a singular, visual statement. Like Michelangelos David. It amazes me how many people dont get this! Akira is a statement about the "End of the World" mentality many post WW2 young japanese men felt (and still do), as a result of the bomb, rapidly advancing technology and a long history of violent earthquakes. Its about the rebuilding of Tokyo. Steamboy is the same way. The story and the characters are just tools for Otomo to express his statement.
And finally the animation. I can say without a doubt that this is THE BEST ANIMATION I have ever seen! It is so clean, so technically perfect, so intricate, and so consistant I cant believe human hands achieved it. I think it is so flawless people accept it and begin to underappreciate it. If you claim to have respect for 2D animation there is simply no way to not like this film.
On: 2005-08-24
First, let me say that this movie has some of the most beautiful art and animation I have ever witnessed in a motion picture. The creativity and skill required to create such a visual masterpiece is beyond my imagining. And the idea to place the story in a slightly fantastic version of Victorian England was sheer genius. In visual terms, this movie is a Masterpiece with some of the most fantastic and beautiful imagery Ive seen in a movie in a long, long time.
On the other hand the needlessly confusing, nearly non-existant plot cripples this movies appeal from the very beginning. I couldve dreamed up a better plot in five minutes, as could nearly anyone who watches this empty promise of a film.
Many Anime films suffer from weak or overly convoluted plots, yet still manage to be entertaining thanks to a cast of interesting characters. But the characters in "Steamboy" seem almost like afterthoughts. The main protagonist (Ray) spends the entire picture rushing about filled with exasperation and worry. His father has no personality to speak of, and his grandfather, much like Ray, is a character without depth, his only job in the film being to sabotage the work of his son. A philosophical conflict between the grandfather and the father is highlighted throughout the movie, but never goes anywhere.
In fact, among all the characters in "Steamboy" only "Miss Scarlett" has any potential, but her character is too contrived and implausible to be believable. Besides, her only job in the film is to hang around Ray, deliver the occasional cute line, and get in trouble. One keeps waiting for a single moment of character development to occur between her and Ray (Steamboy), especially since she starts inexplicably following him around from the moment they meet, but nothing ever develops.
For that matter, the only character development of any sort that happens at any time during the film is a last-minute reconciliation between the father and grandfather that occurs for no discernable reason.
As a huge Anime fan I cant say enough how disappointed I was in "Steamboy", especially since the incredible visuals and fascinating setting gave it such incredible potential. Rent it if you must, but whatever you do dont buy this DVD without seeing it first!
On: 2005-08-24
Veredicto: ¡Soberbia!
Asà es amigos, es una de las mejores pelÃculas animadas que he visto en mucho tiempo.
Las razones:
Steamboy, es una historia pelÃcula llena de acción y aventura; con una presentacion (diseño de personajes y ambientes) que supera las expectativas del más exigente; además, nos regala un sonido impecable, desde sus efectos hasta la banda sonora.
Lo bueno:
En Steamboy, uno puede poner pausa y sentir que en cada cuadro se contiene una obra de arte, despierta en nosotros una gran admiración por el minuciosos y apasionado trabajo del equipo de producción, quienes se comprometieron mas allá de la norma y llenaron esta cinta de una vida y magia pocas veces alcanzaa en una cinta animada.
Lo malo:
Si bien la historÃa es buena y tiene una buena carga de emociones acción y suspenso, me paece que la premisa fundamental que está en disputa y que motiva el actuar de los personajes (sobre el ideal del uso de la tecnologÃa)es poco profunda y carece de fuerza. Esto para mà es la única queja, es el punto que le resta esa estrella de la perfección.
Lo nuevo:
Una historia original y personajes realistas que son más creibles que la mayorÃa de los protagonistas de pelÃculas animadas debido a que no ecajan en los paradigmas tÃpicos del "Malo y el Bueno", sino que se perciben como seres humanos con distintas motivaciones, conflictos y deseos.
Cómprala si:
Quieres agregar un nuevo clásico a tu colección y quieres ver los que es llevar a la animación a los umbrales del arte.
No la compres sÃ:
Si estas buscando una pelÃcula para regalar a alguien menor a 10 u 11 años.
En Resumen: Steamboy nos presenta un concepto redondo y original que quita el aliento a cualquiera, no sólo de quienes gustan del anime. Un clásico instantaneo para adolescentes y adultos que no debe de faltar en la colección de ningún amante de la animación.
On: 2005-08-19
Some of the negative reviews below are off the mark. Story was engaging and characters were interesting. Stunning animation. The best.
On: 2005-08-17
Overlong and uneven but with production this staggering its useless to carp. Imaginative, insightful story-line is given emotional depth thanks to films charming protagonist (well voiced by Anna Paquin) and Steve Jabonskys rousing score. A must for animation enthusiasts and a welcome return from veteran anime/manga artist Otomo who is at the peak of his powers. This special Directors Cut edition is 14 minutes shorter than its original theatrical release.
On: 2005-08-15
Do you love steam? I mean do you REALLY love steam? Do you love pressure gauges and release valves and gears and pipes? If so "Steamboy" is the movie for you. The movie opens in a factory where the steam pressure has increased to a dangerous level. After the inevitable explosion the movie switches to its second scene, a factory with an uncontrolled buildup of steam. This is a movie that SERIOUSLY enjoys showing the effects of steam pressure. The knock against "Steamboy" is that its visually stunning but lacking in story. For the first half of the movie I was ready to write a review disagreeing but at the half way mark the movie seemed to lose...steam?
"Steamboy" takes place in Victorian era England featuring steam technology that never actually existed. At this point mythological industrial era technology has practically reached the level of genre having been used in more than a few movies and books most recently in "The League of Extraordinary Gentleman" and the unfortunate "Wild Wild West". The story revolves around the near magical steam ball, a bowling ball size object that contains enough pressure to power an entire building. This is the device that young Ray Steam uses to become the titular "Steamboy" although he doesnt don his flight suit and steam rocket until an hour and a half into the movie and even then only takes a few short flights. The last half hour of the movie seems to be an homage to steam pressure with expanding and exploding pipes and endless scenes of destruction and then the movie quickly ends.
The plot seems a bit threadbare which is a shame after the loving devotion spent on animation. Director Katsuhiro Ôtomo seemed to be trying to make some kind of point about the place of science at the dawn of the industrial age but I wasnt sure what the point was. On one hand the Steam Castle was a technologic (if unfeasible) wonder but on the other hand the technology was used to create weapons which nearly destroy London. In the end the Steam Castle seemed to exist merely to demonstrate how much steel and glass could be lifted off the ground using steam.
"Steamboy" has more than its fair share of powerful imagery including the re-introduction of Rays father Eddie who, thanks to an explosion, seems to be practically steam powered himself. The movie is a step above the usual Japanese Anime but Ôtomo still falls well short of the storytelling skills of a master like Hayao Miyazaki.
On: 2005-08-11
Much has been made over the fact that the director of Steamboy is the same who directed the anime classic Akira. As a fan of Akira from way back when I first saw it in 89, I was expecting first rate animation. Steamboy didnt disappoint me, at least not there.
Ray Steam is the son and grandson of two of Victorian Englands greatest living scientists and inventors. One day some mysterious men from the OHara Corporation show up on his familys doorstep, asking for a package that has just arrived from Rays grandfather who has been away on an expedition with his father. Ray learns just in time however that these men are evil and that he must not let them have the contents; one "steam ball", which contains within itself enormous power. Immediately the action ensues as Ray flees the Corporate men to deliver the steam ball back to his grandfather. We follow along as Ray goes on a journey to find not only the answer the mystery of the steam ball, but also the answer to the question: what is the purpose of science - power, happiness, or something else?
This is a very realistic vision of Victorian England combined with some fantastically precocious machine technology which was intended to make for a very weird cinematic experience. Too bad that this experience was thwarted time and again by a plot that was stretched too thin and dragged on too long. The pacing alternated between long, lethargic stretches of dialog and frantic action sequences featuring steamy explosions, crashes and chases. This story could have been --and should have been!-told in about 20 minutes less time. Its as if nobody was editing this.
(Directors Cut, you say? I respond: theres a reason that God gave us editors. Make better use of them!)
That it is a superb technical achievement, I cant deny. That it is one of the most elaborate animes ever made (as the dvd back cover trumpets) is without any doubt. A visual feast, gorgeous cinematography (animaphotography? Oh well...), incredible attention to details, genius of direction...yes, all of that and more. But this film should be a lesson to directors everywhere; the best visuals in any medium cannot compensate for or transform an essentially boring story.
First, choose your script well!
-Andrea, aka merribelle
On: 2005-08-10
Much has been made over the fact that the director of Steamboy is the same who directed the anime classic Akira. As a fan of Akira from way back when I first saw it in 89, I was expecting first rate animation. Steamboy didnt disappoint me, at least not there.
Ray Steam is the son and grandson of two of Victorian Englands greatest living scientists and inventors. One day some mysterious men from the OHara Corporation show up on his familys doorstep, asking for a package that has just arrived from Rays grandfather who has been away on an expedition with his father. Ray learns just in time however that these men are evil and that he must not let them have the contents; one "steam ball", which contains within itself enormous power. Immediately the action ensues as Ray flees the Corporate men to deliver the steam ball back to his grandfather. We follow along as Ray goes on a journey to find not only the answer the mystery of the steam ball, but also the answer to the question: what is the purpose of science - power, happiness, or something else?
This is a very realistic vision of Victorian England combined with some fantastically precocious machine technology which was intended to make for a very weird cinematic experience. Too bad that this experience was thwarted time and again by a plot that was stretched too thin and dragged on too long. The pacing alternated between long, lethargic stretches of dialog and frantic action sequences featuring steamy explosions, crashes and chases. This story could have been --and should have been!-told in about 20 minutes less time. Its as if nobody was editing this.
(Directors Cut, you say? I respond: theres a reason that God gave us editors. Make better use of them!)
That it is a superb technical achievement, I cant deny. That it is one of the most elaborate animes ever made (as the dvd back cover trumpets) is without any doubt. A visual feast, gorgeous cinematography (animaphotography? Oh well...), incredible attention to details, genius of direction...yes, all of that and more. But this film should be a lesson to directors everywhere; the best visuals in any medium cannot compensate for or transform an essentially boring story.
First, choose your script well!
-Andrea, aka merribelle
On: 2005-08-05
I really enjoyed this movie and I really cant add much that hasnt been covered in other positive reviews. I found the movie to be entertaining and technically well done. The animation and audio quality of the movie are pretty good. I thought the music score was outstanding. Perhaps more than any other animated film I have ever seen this movie feels like a live action film and not an animated film. Some may see that as a problem. I personally do not. This is the kind of movie I could show to people not familiar with anime without feeling embarassed. The movie does have its problems. The story is perhaps average and there is little character development. Dont expect this movie to be Akira II or Son of Akira. This movie is more like the Rocketeer than anything. This movie does have a message (or messages). This is a "message" movie about the nature of technology and its use (or possible misuse). Messages are subtle though. Otomo doesnt feel the need in this movie beat you over the head with his point. I personally like it that way.
I should mention that both the subtitled and english dubbed versions run the same length (126 minutes). There are no cuts to the dubbed version. That of course has been a worry to some since the theatrical dubbed version had a number of big cuts to its running time. You do not have to worry about that with the R1 DVDs. BTW, I found the dub to be pretty good.
by: longshotex On: 2005-08-01
My biggest problem with this movie is the boy, Ray, is voiced by a woman. And it sounds like hes voiced by a woman. They should have gotten a child actor to do the voice if thats what they were going for. Not a female actress.
That said, the story is great but it drags on a bit long. The animation is just beautiful and everything is top notch.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-08-01
Steamboy was a great movie throughout. As a anime lover, i have never seen the directors last movie Akira. But after seeing this i definatly wanted to watch Akira. The Ending was probably the best ending to a movie i have ever seen. All movies should end like Steamboy. A good memorable cool ending.
by: trueskeptic On: 2005-08-01
I will not repeat the details of the plot here. As the film starts, youre drawn into its alternate world where everything is powered by steam. The machines are fascinating!
Theres no clear delineation of good and evil - apart, perhaps, from the armaments companies, who turn London into a disaster area for demo purposes. Unless, of course, you have the naive view that well all live in peace if people would just stop inventing and selling weapons ... which, unfortunately, might be the message some will take away from this movie, never having learned the lessons of history.
Anyway. The animation and scenery and creativity are superb. However, once the destruction starts, you lose all possibility of belief, since the scale of destruction is so vast. No arms dealers would dare put on such a show in such a location. Its supposed to show the destructive power of science in the wrong hands, but it reaches ridiculous proportions.
After about the halfway mark, you sense that its gone on long enough, and youre just waiting for it to be over. Too many shots of steam pipes leaking and exploding, etc., too long to wrap up. If you have the patience, a lot of the imagery is awe-inspiring, though. But at the end you dont really care any more.
On: 2005-07-31
I will not repeat the details of the plot here. As the film starts, youre drawn into its alternate world where everything is powered by steam. The machines are fascinating!
Theres no clear delineation of good and evil - apart, perhaps, from the armaments companies, who turn London into a disaster area for demo purposes. Unless, of course, you have the naive view that well all live in peace if people would just stop inventing and selling weapons ... which, unfortunately, might be the message some will take away from this movie, never having learned the lessons of history.
Anyway. The animation and scenery and creativity are superb. However, once the destruction starts, you lose all possibility of belief, since the scale of destruction is so vast. No arms dealers would dare put on such a show in such a location. Its supposed to show the destructive power of science in the wrong hands, but it reaches ridiculous proportions.
After about the halfway mark, you sense that its gone on long enough, and youre just waiting for it to be over. Too many shots of steam pipes leaking and exploding, etc., too long to wrap up. If you have the patience, a lot of the imagery is awe-inspiring, though. But at the end you dont really care any more.
On: 2005-07-30
In Steamboy, Director Otomo turns his attention to the Steampunk genre, and the result is a gripping Victorian era techno-thriller. The macguffin of the plot is a ball that is supposedly able to store steam at enormous pressure and density. It doesnt make much sense, but it manages to drive a plot with a lot of action, engaging steam-puffing war machines, and some moderately sophisticated debate about the uses of science and technology.
The characters are engaging, although hero Ray is the usual somewhat generic plucky adolescent. The spoiled adolescent aristocrat Scarlett is considerably more interesting, as are Rays father and grandfather, who personify conflicting ideas about the uses of technology.
The animation is, of course, wonderful, as expected from the director of Akira. The film is full of strikingly original action scenes, which are both well conceived and well executed. Destruction abounds. Reputedly, the film used quite a bit of computer graphics, but it is extraordinarily well integrated. The hand-drawn characters do not have the "pasted in" look that has characterized most previous attempts to combine hand drawn and computer generated art, and I was hard put to tell where the traditional animation ended and the computer animation began.
The DVD includes both the original Japanese version (with English subtitles available) as well as an English dubbed version. The English dubbing is extremely well done, with top notch talent including Anna Paquin (Rogue from the XMen movies) as the adolescent boy hero, Patrick Stewart as his grandfather, and Alfred Molina as his father. The English dubbing was overseen by Otomo himself, and is arguably better suited to the story than the original Japanese, as it is set in Victorian England. There are, however, a few moments where the words do not quite mesh with the mouth movements--which is a bit of a testament to the quality of the animation; in most animated films, you cant tell what language the characters are supposed to be speaking, anyway.
Although this is an animated film, it is not a kids movie, and some parents will probably find some scenes inappropriate for small children. There is a lot of violence and destruction, at least as much as in a typical theatrical action thriller, but relatively little gore or overt killing--less than in Akira. There is, however, a moment when young Scarlett comes face-to-face with a dead soldier. It is an important and necessary scene, but might be troubling to some children.
On: 2005-07-29
In Steamboy, Director Otomo turns his attention to the Steampunk genre, and the result is a gripping Victorian era techno-thriller. The macguffin of the plot is a ball that is supposedly able to store steam at enormous pressure and density. It doesnt make much sense, but it manages to drive a plot with a lot of action, engaging steam-puffing war machines, and some moderately sophisticated debate about the uses of science and technology.
The characters are engaging, although hero Ray is the usual somewhat generic plucky adolescent. The spoiled adolescent aristocrat Scarlett is considerably more interesting, as are Rays father and grandfather, who personify conflicting ideas about the uses of technology.
The animation is, of course, wonderful, as expected from the director of Akira. The film is full of strikingly original action scenes, which are both well conceived and well executed. Destruction abounds. Reputedly, the film used quite a bit of computer graphics, but it is extraordinarily well integrated. The hand-drawn characters do not have the "pasted in" look that has characterized most previous attempts to combine hand drawn and computer generated art, and I was hard put to tell where the traditional animation ended and the computer animation began.
The DVD includes both the original Japanese version (with English subtitles available) as well as an English dubbed version. The English dubbing is extremely well done, with top notch talent including Anna Paquin (Rogue from the XMen movies) as the adolescent boy hero, Patrick Stewart as his grandfather, and Alfred Molina as his father. The English dubbing was overseen by Otomo himself, and is arguably better suited to the story than the original Japanese, as it is set in Victorian England. There are, however, a few moments where the words do not quite mesh with the mouth movements--which is a bit of a testament to the quality of the animation; in most animated films, you cant tell what language the characters are supposed to be speaking, anyway.
Although this is an animated film, it is not a kids movie, and some parents will probably find some scenes inappropriate for small children. There is a lot of violence and destruction, at least as much as in a typical theatrical action thriller, but relatively little gore or overt killing--less than in Akira. There is, however, a moment when young Scarlett comes face-to-face with a dead soldier. It is an important and necessary scene, but might be troubling to some children.
by: sharky_87 On: 2005-07-29
When this movie came out in theatres, everyone was all like "Oh this movie suck to the eye! Hardy-Har!" and so then when i went to see it, I was tottally ready to finger those critics. I loved it! So I bought the DVD 2day, and I loved it! IMO this is the best movie ever made!
STEAMIN STORY: James Ray Steam is a son of an inventor, Edward Steam. They are both living in London right now, taking control of STEAM TOWER. Then, Ray visits this beautiful girl named Scarlett, who everyone treats royally. But then, Once ray learned that his grandfather has escaped, He dosent know whether to trust his dad or grandpa!
THOUGHTS: WHY DOES EVERYONE HATE THIS????????????????HUH???? I LOVED IT!!!!!!! I thought this is the best movie EVER!!! Nothing stupid, Its all soooooo cool!
SO GO BUY IT!!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-07-29
Steamboy is a really cool anime. I mean, its not as good as Akira but it still manages to entertain its viewer.
Heres the review......
Story/Characters: When I first saw Steamboy, in theaters, I had alot of mixed felings on the story and its characters, and I was dissapointed a little. But now that I watch the movie on dvd, I realize on what an entertaining movie Steamboy really is. For one thing I dont know why the english production team decided to shorten the movie so much for the theaters, I think alot of the scenes they cut out were important. For example in the begining of the film they cut out the scene in which Ray Steam,the main protagonist, saves a bunch people in the factory he was working in by preventing an explosion by using his knowledge of machinery. This scene was important, it showed that Ray was very well rounded in the field of machinery, because later in the film you see Ray had built a very complicated moterized vehicle that actually worked.. without this scence its like....." How could a thirteen year old boy build something like that?" Also, about the plot, its never boring it always keeps the viewer entertained to a certain degree, and its not bogged down by unessesary politics or subplots. The characters are also good. There not exactly complex but there likable all the same. A character dosnt have too be complex to be good. Even some of Miyazaki sans older films dont have complex characters but that dosnt mean there bad characters...to me if a character is likeable its a good character. Score:8.5 out of 10.
Art/Animation: Wow, wow wow wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The animation in this film is absolutely stunning. Its incerdiably well drawn and it moves fluidly. I believe the whole film was comprised of about 180,000 cells. I also loved the colors used in this movie. Otomo used very dim greyish tones for the film... which I thought was great. It really reflected the place and time in which Steamboy took place during. The CG used is also excellent. Score:10 out of 10
Voice acting/Music: The voice acting in this film is truly excellent. All the actors do a great job with their roles and overacting is never present. Also I would recomend watching this movie dubbed, only because since Steamboy takes place in England. It would be sort of awkward to watch the characters speaking japanese when there supposed to be in England. The musical score is also fantastic... it fit perfectly for the movie. Score: 9.5 out of 10
Conclusion: In conclusion I really liked Steamboy. Like I said, its not a masterpiece like Akira, but its very entertaining and has some incredible animation. So if you havent seen it yet then what are you waiting for, go check it out.. you wont be sorry.
Overall I would give the film a 9.2 out of 10.
On: 2005-07-28
STEAMBOY is a brilliant failure.
Like its beloved cogs, gears and steam - STEAMBOY manages to run, but it never really runs at full power. THE ROCKETEER did this better, while the LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN already sold us on the biggest problem with STEAMBOY... the message, and its this message that grounds STEAMBOY well before the film has even gotten started. To bring it to a boil for you quickly - they dont call it an "arms race" because it sounds keen. This is a movie about science and technology and the precarious balance between its use to enlighten and advance the human race (THE GREAT EXHIBITION), or to enslave it (WAR MACHINES). STEAMBOY is caught on the horns of an age old problem - the same power I use to write this review also is used to execute people, or restart a heart, or light up the night. Power is power - its neither good or evil, but can be used by those that would wish to do one or the other... and its this point that STEAMBOY manages to display in some of the most beautiful and detailed artwork Ive seen in a long time. But by now the films heartfelt message is only preaching to the choir - we got it, weve seen it, its old news.
And while STEAMBOY never made any promises, it was sold as a different film all together. If youre a fan of TOM SWIFT then STEAMBOY will send more than a few chills up and down your spine - its so close to the tone of those first SWIFT adventures as to make you nearly drool. THE ROCKETEER is here as well, and while that film cant lay claim to being anything but a homage to past Rockeeters, STEAMBOY does pay its respects to the DISNEY film in several small ways. Little funny moments and in jokes are scattered all through this film (my hands down favorite is "Pregnant" Ray - during the very exciting train attack - watch for Ray sticking the Steam Ball down his shirt, and later during a quiet moment before hes kidnapped, he is standing on the train looking for all the world as if hes in his ninth month - and then watch him rub the Steam Ball like a baby - the visual is very clear and funny here... Ray is about to give birth to a whole new world. The Steam Ball is one baby thats going to change everything).
STEAMBOY is a divided film - clearly they wanted the message of the film to be front and center, but you cant help but wish they had minimized this and instead gave us more of Ray being STEAMBOY. Its shocking that the film I really wanted to see could only be seen during the closing credits. All the action, romance and adventure I desired was all but hidden and being slowly clawed to death by the cast and production lists.
The US voice cast is excellent, while the orginal language track delivers STEAMBOYs original passion, and the subtitles both add more information and also leave out important facts (if you get the chance, listen to the US voice cast and read the subtitles - its like two different movies at certain points).
In the end - theres not a frame of STEAMBOY that does not draw you into its world. Its packed with brilliant ideas, performances, and two big payoffs - the first being what can be called as the first Steam Ice Age, and the second - the closing credits behind which the real STEAMBOYs heart truly beats.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-07-28
This was a great movie i loved every minute of it and there were a lot of minutes, it had very beautiful backgrounds and scenery. This movie requires some thinking skills. The only thing i regret is that i did not get to see it in theaters because of its limited availability. This is a great movie and it is full of action. I give it 10 ********** stars
On: 2005-07-28
Steamboy is the latest entry into the Steampunk subgenre, speculative fiction that presents an alternate historical setting of the Victorian era in which modern technological advances were invented earlier in history through the assistance of steam-era technology. Early fiction like Jules Vernes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, William Gibson and Bruce Sterlings novel, The Difference Engine and Alan Moores popular comic book, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book are perhaps some of the best known examples of this subgenre. Gibsons Cyberpunk fiction had a profound influence on one of director Katsuhiro Otomos previous anime movies, Akira, one of the greatest animated films ever made. Steamboy sees him influenced by Gibsons fiction again as he wrestles with some of the same themes, such as man vs. technology that he explored in Akira while maintaining the same level of quality animation.
Otomos film explores the differing views of science. Rays grandfather believes that only the fruits of advances in science should be available to the educated and the privileged while his father believes it should be shared with everyone as he says at one point, "Science exists as a power to be used in reality." He believes it should be used to improve all of humanity, not just a small portion of it.
Watching this movie only reinforces how bad The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie is compared to its original source material and the Steampunk genre in general. Steamboy is the real deal-a wonderfully nostalgic look at a bygone era mixed with a parable about the destructive nature of technology if put in the wrong hands and how it affects the relationship between a son and his father.
"Re-Voicing Steamboy" takes a look at the Hollywood types who voiced the characters for the North American release. Anna Paquin, Alfred Molina and Patrick Stewart talk briefly about the film and their appreciation for Otomo with Stewart speaking the most eloquently about the time period that Steamboy is set in.
"Interview with Katsuhiro Otomo." he started working on the project ten years ago with actual production on the film itself starting seven years ago. Otomo found that doing a period film was a bigger challenge and more time-consuming than a futuristic one like Akira.
"Multi-Screen Landscape Study" is an interesting featurette on the set design and look of the film but conveyed via three split-screens that show clips from the movie, vintage newsreel footage of London and footage of the films creators talking about their movie.
"The Adventure Continues" allows you to watch the artwork on display during the end credits sequence without the text obscuring it.
"Animation Onion Skins" allows you to watch several sequences in various stages of development, from rough pencil sketches to computer modeling to the final product. This gives some insight into how much work went into this movie.
Finally, there are "Production Drawings," a montage of artwork for the films setting that allows you to marvel once again at the attention to detail.
On: 2005-07-09
What a steaming pile this was. I had the unfortunate opportunity to see this film in the theater and took it. Katsuhiro Otomo has a fantastic reputation as an illustrator, author, and director. However, this does not excuse him from the prolonged banality that is called STEAMBOY. Though there is stunning animation, that is no excuse for the shallow character development and weak plot that permeates this film. Moreover, rampant explosions and wanton violence at the end (sorry for the spoiler, but AKIRA fans will know what Im talking about) were not enough to erase the placid nothingness that forced this viewer to try and keep from nodding off for almost two hours. I must make a point that I am a big fan of Otomos comics and the film version of Akira. Visually it lives up to his artistic reputation. Falling short doesnt even come close to describing how deep in the hole the rest of this movie has descended.
On: 2005-07-05
...what was the director (Katsuhiro Ôtomo)thinking? I heard that this movie, in terms of animation, took TEN YEARS to complete. All I can say on that is, WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.
I dont know about the DVD version, as I watched this in the theatre, but one things for sure; I will NOT rent/buy this DVD; the movie hits an all-time low from the very beginning. Why couldnt they dub this film in English????? Its not very realistic, seeing a bunch of ENGLISH people in ENGLAND speaking JAPANESE!!! The plot seems to wander aimlessly round and round so much my head spins just thinking about it...until we meet our alleged heroine, Scarlett OHara (what are they trying to point out here? Or was her naming just an uncanny coincidence?)who shamelessly displays animal cruelty on her poor, helpless little chihuahua. Needless to say, I loathed her from the very beginning. Being a rich, spoilt brat, she did not warm my heart, failing to play the part of a "heroine". Plus, the relationship between Ray Steam (like the pun?) and Scarlett did not build: there was one point where they seemed to be a bit different so to speak, and that, apart from wowing at the graphics, was probably the best part of the movie. Other that that, I came out of the theatre very irritated and almost deaf: the volume was insanely high...I couldnt even catch up on some sleep! Plus the movie didnt even have any worthy morals; they seemed to promote greed and lust for power.
To cut a long story short: Dont buy this movie unless you like pretty graphics (though not at all corresponding with the setting). Save your money, time and sanity!
On: 2005-06-17
Background:
Steamboy is the first movie directed by a giant from Japanese anime Katsuhiro Otomo since his ground breaking movie Akira from 16 years ago. Unlike most anime fans I saw Steamboy before seeing its more famous partner. If you are expecting another Akira you will be disappointed since Steamboy is a 180 degree opposite in ambiance although both movies explore similar themes. Instead of Akiras dsytopic nihilistic Neo-Toyko Otomo re-creates a romantic optimistic Victorian England. Steamboy has the feel of a more mainstream Hollywood style action/adventure movie. Steamboy presents a fascinating intersection of history and sci-fi as its backdrop. The DVD is the directors cut with your choice of having the dialogue in English, Japanese and various Romance languages. Also, one can have subtitles in English, and the other languages.
Non-spoiler Plot:
Steamboy takes place in Victorian England in 1866. Although Otomo rewrites history by throwing in many elements not yet existing in 1866 but are from that overall period including Tower Bridge and battleships not built till the last decade of the 19th century. The movie is centered on the ownership of a Steam Ball which can generate the power equivalent to a small nuclear reactor. The movie, as typical in many Japanese anime and fantasy movies, centers on the issue of what is the proper use of this new breakthrough technology. This conflict is represented as an intergenerational conflict within the Steam family. The elder Steam, Lloyd (voiced by Patrick Stewart) has become deranged seeing his invention being put to what he sees as evil uses, his son Eddie (voiced by Alfred Molina), who is half man/machine, in a Nietzschian view sees the Steam Ball as a showcase of the power of science for science sake to push humankind to new heights. Eddies 13 year old son Ray (voiced by Anna Paquin) is caught in the middle trying to save his father and grandfather and London from the consequences of their invention. A nefarious corporation, the OHara Foundation wants the Steam Ball, and the British are interested in acquiring it too sending Robert Stephenson, a tribute to the namesake who with his father invented the railway locomotive and built the first rail line from Liverpool to Manchester in 1830, to gain control of the Steam Ball for the sake of national security.
The movie spends the first part in Manchester and the surrounding countryside, including a panorama showing to borrow Dickens "satanic mills" dominating the city spewing black smoke into the air. The movie shifts to London centered on a park on the bank of the Thames. Otomo accurately animates the atmospheric effects of Londons fog and smog. The park is home to the Crystal Palace, magnificently recreated in this anime movie, housing the Great Exhibition and the OHara Foundation Pavilion, using the design of Royal Albert Hall. [In history, the Crystal Palace, one of the great architectural achievements of the Victorian era, was built in 1851 to house the Great Exhibition of that year. The Great Exhibition in what might be considered the first Worlds Fair organized by Queen Victorias consort Prince Albert the Exhibition invited all the nations of the world to showcase the technologies and applications that came about from the Industrial Revolution.] The OHara Foundation sponsors the research of Eddie and Lloyd Steam that resulted in the invention of the Steam Ball. As we learn in the film the OHara Foundation has darker purposes for attending the Great Exposition besides showcasing the latest benevolent inventions. The titular representative of the OHara foundation is Scarlett OHara (voiced by anime regular Kari Wahlgren), around the same age as Ray, who is the sole heir to the OHara fortune. We immediately get the idea the Scarlett is a spoiled brat who complains about the smell and soot of London and enjoys bossing around the head of marketing for the OHara Corporation Archibald Simon. (PETA members might not like what she does to her poor Chihuahua Columbus). Although Scarlett is the one character who undergoes the most change as she sees the consequences of the her familys firm inventions. The movie is filled with action and adventure including chase scenes, and battle that breaks out at the area around the Crystal Palace where Otomo introduces many of the "futuristic" elements of the movie, and the reveling of Eddies vision of science in the Steam Castle (Steam Tower in the english subtitles).
Analysis:
The main strength of this film is the gorgeous combination of traditional hand drawn 2-D and 3-D CGI animation. From what I have read, Otomo and his creative design team spent time on England, visiting London, Manchester and York, and studying steam locomotives and machinery from the Victorian era to beautifully recapture Victorian England, the motifs of that era, and the mechanical designs of the machinery down to the last rivet. For example, the Royal Navy ships in the movie are accurate recreations of real warships from the Victorian era. This research paid off in the stunning detail of the movie. You are starring at the screen just to soak up the details of the machinery Otomo created. I enjoyed how the movie used real historic events and places, mentioned above, as the backdrop for the movie. They showed great imagination in designing the "futuristic" elements which retains a 19th century appearance and mechanical design. Unlike other Japanese anime with their convoluted plot lines this is a straight forward action/adventure movie. The movie is dominated by browns and has a sepia tone to it. There are some wonderful animation effects including how lenses distort images, from what I understand this is a very difficult effect, to scenes with tons of falling confetti, to a scene where glass is shattered and on each chard you see an imprinted moving image from an earlier scene.
There is not much character development in this movie except for perhaps Scarlett. Most of the characters are representations of the different uses of science and technology. Eddie is the personification of science for science sake without any moral/ethical considerations. Lloyd takes the opposite view that science must be looked at in terms of the moral/ethical impact and science should be restricted if it leads to a "bad" outcome. Ray is caught in the middle conflicted about what he should do and shows concern for both his father and grandfather. His actions and decisions are based on what he learns about the motives of the characters and his underlying desire to save his father and grandfather. Robert Stephenson sees science as being used for national security reasons. Scarlett espouses the economic rationale for scientific advancement. Although the characters are not quite so black and white. Eddie is perhaps misguided but he is not evil personified. When one sees Lloyds vision of the uses of science for frivolity you might find yourself believing his view is just as extreme as Eddies but in the opposite direction. Scarlett has the obvious rich girl spoiled brat attitude but Otomo shows underlying this façade is a sensitive, and intelligent girl. Otomo has these characters espouse their beliefs explicitly in their dialogue which often become monologues and lectures.
Otomo uses the several characters to present different philosophies on the use of science but leaves it up to the viewer to make their own decision. The plot could used some improvement and the action can get a bit overwhelming at times. The machinery tends to overwhelm the story Otomo is trying to tell.
I very much enjoyed the classical soundtrack by Steven Jablonsky. He developed wonderful themes for Ray and Scarlett and utilizes them throughout the movie.
Overall, Steamboy should appeal to a both anime fans and a more conventional audience. This movie is far superior to Hollywoods recent attempt at Steampunk with Will Smiths Wild Wild West and Sean Connerys The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.Time magazines Richard Corliss listed Steamboy, along with Akira, as one of the top 5 anime movies available on DVD. A side benefit of this movie is the educational opportunities this movie provides in further explorations of the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution.
The movie is rated PG-13 for the action. The PG-13 is more to the PG side than R side. There is one scene with blood but there is no objectionable language or suggestive sexual scenes.
DVD Features: The transfer to DVD is excellent with great sound and picture quality. The aspect ratio was 1.85:1 so the transfer does not take full advantage of widescreen TVs, the wide screen version of Star Wars has an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The DVD features are pretty bland. There is no directors commentary which is understandable give the language barrier. There is a 5 minute interview with director Katsuhiro Otomo. There is a 15 minute featurette about the challenges of re-dubbing the movie in English with Anna Paquin, Alfred Molina, and Patrick Stewart. The 20 minute multi-screen landscape study splits the screen three ways. First there are scenes from the movie mixed with real life shots of London. 15 minutes of this featurette are interviews with the creative team discussing how they made the movie. The ending montage shows the images from the end credits of the English dubbed theatrical release without the text. Although this ending was a condensed version of the directors cut ending, which is the ending for the movie on this DVD. The production drawings are still shots of paintings used to develop ideas in the movie, some of which are pretty interesting. The animation onion skins shows the process by which five scenes are built combining hand drawn and CGI techniques although there is no dialogue explaining the process.
On: 2005-06-16
Background:
Steamboy is the first movie directed by a giant from Japanese anime Katsuhiro Otomo since his ground breaking movie Akira from 16 years ago. Unlike most anime fans I saw Steamboy before seeing its more famous partner. If you are expecting another Akira you will be disappointed since Steamboy is a 180 degree opposite in ambiance although both movies explore similar themes. Instead of Akiras dsytopic nihilistic Neo-Toyko Otomo re-creates a romantic optimistic Victorian England. Steamboy has the feel of a more mainstream Hollywood style action/adventure movie. Steamboy presents a fascinating intersection of history and sci-fi as its backdrop. The DVD is the directors cut with your choice of having the dialogue in English, Japanese and various Romance languages. Also, one can have subtitles in English, and the other languages.
Non-spoiler Plot:
Steamboy takes place in Victorian England in 1866. Although Otomo rewrites history by throwing in many elements not yet existing in 1866 but are from that overall period including Tower Bridge and battleships not built till the last decade of the 19th century. The movie is centered on the ownership of a Steam Ball which can generate the power equivalent to a small nuclear reactor. The movie, as typical in many Japanese anime and fantasy movies, centers on the issue of what is the proper use of this new breakthrough technology. This conflict is represented as an intergenerational conflict within the Steam family. The elder Steam, Lloyd (voiced by Patrick Stewart) has become deranged seeing his invention being put to what he sees as evil uses, his son Eddie (voiced by Alfred Molina), who is half man/machine, in a Nietzschian view sees the Steam Ball as a showcase of the power of science for science sake to push humankind to new heights. Eddies 13 year old son Ray (voiced by Anna Paquin) is caught in the middle trying to save his father and grandfather and London from the consequences of their invention. A nefarious corporation, the OHara Foundation wants the Steam Ball, and the British are interested in acquiring it too sending Robert Stephenson, a tribute to the namesake who with his father invented the railway locomotive and built the first rail line from Liverpool to Manchester in 1830, to gain control of the Steam Ball for the sake of national security.
The movie spends the first part in Manchester and the surrounding countryside, including a panorama showing to borrow Dickens "satanic mills" dominating the city spewing black smoke into the air. The movie shifts to London centered on a park on the bank of the Thames. Otomo accurately animates the atmospheric effects of Londons fog and smog. The park is home to the Crystal Palace, magnificently recreated in this anime movie, housing the Great Exhibition and the OHara Foundation Pavilion, using the design of Royal Albert Hall. [In history, the Crystal Palace, one of the great architectural achievements of the Victorian era, was built in 1851 to house the Great Exhibition of that year. The Great Exhibition in what might be considered the first Worlds Fair organized by Queen Victorias consort Prince Albert the Exhibition invited all the nations of the world to showcase the technologies and applications that came about from the Industrial Revolution.] The OHara Foundation sponsors the research of Eddie and Lloyd Steam that resulted in the invention of the Steam Ball. As we learn in the film the OHara Foundation has darker purposes for attending the Great Exposition besides showcasing the latest benevolent inventions. The titular representative of the OHara foundation is Scarlett OHara (voiced by anime regular Kari Wahlgren), around the same age as Ray, who is the sole heir to the OHara fortune. We immediately get the idea the Scarlett is a spoiled brat who complains about the smell and soot of London and enjoys bossing around the head of marketing for the OHara Corporation Archibald Simon. (PETA members might not like what she does to her poor Chihuahua Columbus). Although Scarlett is the one character who undergoes the most change as she sees the consequences of the her familys firm inventions. The movie is filled with action and adventure including chase scenes, and battle that breaks out at the area around the Crystal Palace where Otomo introduces many of the "futuristic" elements of the movie, and the reveling of Eddies vision of science in the Steam Castle (Steam Tower in the english subtitles).
Analysis:
The main strength of this film is the gorgeous combination of traditional hand drawn 2-D and 3-D CGI animation. From what I have read, Otomo and his creative design team spent time on England, visiting London, Manchester and York, and studying steam locomotives and machinery from the Victorian era to beautifully recapture Victorian England, the motifs of that era, and the mechanical designs of the machinery down to the last rivet. For example, the Royal Navy ships in the movie are accurate recreations of real warships from the Victorian era. This research paid off in the stunning detail of the movie. You are starring at the screen just to soak up the details of the machinery Otomo created. I enjoyed how the movie used real historic events and places, mentioned above, as the backdrop for the movie. They showed great imagination in designing the "futuristic" elements which retains a 19th century appearance and mechanical design. Unlike other Japanese anime with their convoluted plot lines this is a straight forward action/adventure movie. The movie is dominated by browns and has a sepia tone to it. There are some wonderful animation effects including how lenses distort images, from what I understand this is a very difficult effect, to scenes with tons of falling confetti, to a scene where glass is shattered and on each chard you see an imprinted moving image from an earlier scene.
There is not much character development in this movie except for perhaps Scarlett. Most of the characters are representations of the different uses of science and technology. Eddie is the personification of science for science sake without any moral/ethical considerations. Lloyd takes the opposite view that science must be looked at in terms of the moral/ethical impact and science should be restricted if it leads to a "bad" outcome. Ray is caught in the middle conflicted about what he should do and shows concern for both his father and grandfather. His actions and decisions are based on what he learns about the motives of the characters and his underlying desire to save his father and grandfather. Robert Stephenson sees science as being used for national security reasons. Scarlett espouses the economic rationale for scientific advancement. Although the characters are not quite so black and white. Eddie is perhaps misguided but he is not evil personified. When one sees Lloyds vision of the uses of science for frivolity you might find yourself believing his view is just as extreme as Eddies but in the opposite direction. Scarlett has the obvious rich girl spoiled brat attitude but Otomo shows underlying this façade is a sensitive, and intelligent girl. Otomo has these characters espouse their beliefs explicitly in their dialogue which often become monologues and lectures.
Otomo uses the several characters to present different philosophies on the use of science but leaves it up to the viewer to make their own decision. The plot could used some improvement and the action can get a bit overwhelming at times. The machinery tends to overwhelm the story Otomo is trying to tell.
I very much enjoyed the classical soundtrack by Steven Jablonsky. He developed wonderful themes for Ray and Scarlett and utilizes them throughout the movie.
Overall, Steamboy should appeal to a both anime fans and a more conventional audience. This movie is far superior to Hollywoods recent attempt at Steampunk with Will Smiths Wild Wild West and Sean Connerys The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.Time magazines Richard Corliss listed Steamboy, along with Akira, as one of the top 5 anime movies available on DVD. A side benefit of this movie is the educational opportunities this movie provides in further explorations of the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution.
The movie is rated PG-13 for the action. The PG-13 is more to the PG side than R side. There is one scene with blood but there is no objectionable language or suggestive sexual scenes.
DVD Features: The transfer to DVD is excellent with great sound and picture quality. The aspect ratio was 1.85:1 so the transfer does not take full advantage of widescreen TVs, the wide screen version of Star Wars has an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The DVD features are pretty bland. There is no directors commentary which is understandable give the language barrier. There is a 5 minute interview with director Katsuhiro Otomo. There is a 15 minute featurette about the challenges of re-dubbing the movie in English with Anna Paquin, Alfred Molina, and Patrick Stewart. The 20 minute multi-screen landscape study splits the screen three ways. First there are scenes from the movie mixed with real life shots of London. 15 minutes of this featurette are interviews with the creative team discussing how they made the movie. The ending montage shows the images from the end credits of the English dubbed theatrical release without the text. Although this ending was a condensed version of the directors cut ending, which is the ending for the movie on this DVD. The production drawings are still shots of paintings used to develop ideas in the movie, some of which are pretty interesting. The animation onion skins shows the process by which five scenes are built combining hand drawn and CGI techniques although there is no dialogue explaining the process.
On: 2005-06-08
Visual - ***** (excellent animation, superb detailed backgrounds)
Audio - *** (surround speakers dont seem utilized)
Story - *** (enjoyable, simple plot, no build up to climax)
by: Anonymous On: 2005-06-05
Thank GOD that this anime movie from Dreamworks will have a english dialouge unlike (Ghost in the Shell 2). From the director of (Akira) brings you this out standing 2D animated movie that takes place in England I think in the 18 hundreads.
On: 2005-04-11
Like many anime fans the first anime I ever saw was Akira, and it blew me away. Ever since then we have all been waiting to see what Otomo would do next. At last the long wait is over, and the film that seemed destined never to escape its incredibly long development cycle has been released.
The story of Steamboy isnt as complex as Akira. It tells of a split between two inventors, grandfather and father, and the little son who doesnt know who side with. How much should be sacrificed to further the progresss of science? The story lacks the originality Akira had, and the characters arent quite as memorable, but it remains hugely enteraining throughout.
Akira was an animation landmark back in 1988, and even to this day its a struggle to find anime with better animation. It is fitting then that when a movie finally raises the animation bar it will be Otomo back at the helm. The animation in Steamboy is utterly jaw dropping, and a perfect marriage of 2D and 3D. Forget the poorly integrated 3D of other anime movies, here a scene can look like a beautiful painting, until it starts moving and reveals itself as a 3D model. The 2D work is of course also tremendous and sets a new standard for the format.
In many ways Steamboy is similar to Akira. The character design, especially that of Ray Steam (who looks like a younger Tetsuo), and Eddie Steam (a near clone of the Colonel) is very reminiscent of Akira, and the films finale a greatly extended version of the raising of Akira from beneath Tokyo Stadium. And it all fits, a perfect sister movie to Akira. Otomo has now perfected both Cyberpunk, and Steampunk. Where next? I just hope we dont have to wait another 16 years to find out!
It is worth noting that the US dub of Steamboy has been hugely cut. I have not seen that version and have no desire to. Sadly it seems anime is still not safe from the meddling editing of western studios who should know better by now. We can only hope that the eventual DVD release is uncut and as Otomo intended.
On: 2005-04-10
Like many anime fans the first anime I ever saw was Akira, and it blew me away. Ever since then we have all been waiting to see what Otomo would do next. At last the long wait is over, and the film that seemed destined never to escape its incredibly long development cycle has been released.
The story of Steamboy isnt as complex as Akira. It tells of a split between two inventors, grandfather and father, and the little son who doesnt know who side with. How much should be sacrificed to further the progresss of science? The story lacks the originality Akira had, and the characters arent quite as memorable, but it remains hugely enteraining throughout.
Akira was an animation landmark back in 1988, and even to this day its a struggle to find anime with better animation. It is fitting then that when a movie finally raises the animation bar it will be Otomo back at the helm. The animation in Steamboy is utterly jaw dropping, and a perfect marriage of 2D and 3D. Forget the poorly integrated 3D of other anime movies, here a scene can look like a beautiful painting, until it starts moving and reveals itself as a 3D model. The 2D work is of course also tremendous and sets a new standard for the format.
In many ways Steamboy is similar to Akira. The character design, especially that of Ray Steam (who looks like a younger Tetsuo), and Eddie Steam (a near clone of the Colonel) is very reminiscent of Akira, and the films finale a greatly extended version of the raising of Akira from beneath Tokyo Stadium. And it all fits, a perfect sister movie to Akira. Otomo has now perfected both Cyberpunk, and Steampunk. Where next? I just hope we dont have to wait another 16 years to find out!
It is worth noting that the US dub of Steamboy has been hugely cut. I have not seen that version and have no desire to. Sadly it seems anime is still not safe from the meddling editing of western studios who should know better by now. We can only hope that the eventual DVD release is uncut and as Otomo intended.
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