Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Just what I expected

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This sci-fi action film was in my opinion a total mess of a movie. It never seemed to know exactly what it was aiming to be. One moment it was ultra serious with endless monologues about life, the next a super-charged action flick. Nothing essentially wrong with this per se only that both elements were so poorly done. While the dialogue-heavy scenes were deeply tedious, the action sequences were shot like a computer game. Well, a computer game where you have little idea what is actually going on due to stupidly fast editing. Apparently the director came from a music video background and that may explain the fast editing and showy graphics. It was awful. Really tiresome. The film in general is very poorly directed and the screenplay was terrible. I don't know if the story line was more interesting in it's original comic-book format but I fully expect it must have been. It's often difficult knowing precisely what is going on, although admittedly this may have been due to the sheer tediousness of it's presentation resulting in my brain shutting down.Unfortunately this film has been brought to screen with lots of money but little inspiration. Last and certainly not least, is the fact that this movie is way, way too long. There is no justification at all for a two hour plus running time. I was bored senseless by this one.

Having no experience in Asian movies or anime, I decided to give it a try to this interesting movie cover I saw in the video shop. Glad I did. This is not the typical sci-fi action movie; this is a high quality piece of art. A story about stories, supported by a profound plot, original storyline and mesmerizing visual effects, Casshern blew me away. This is just for open-minded people, who can connect the sequence of the film as the pieces of a puzzle, and who can use their imagination to make possible the impossible. I must admit that I felt a little lost at the beginning because I never read anything about the movie, or saw the 70's original anime, but as the story evolves it was sort of easy get in tune with it.From the beginning of the film you can appreciate the amazing visuals, the intriguing story, and some fighting scenes (that are too anime for my taste) introduced by strange rock music. This, but nothing else can be logically perceived until the end, when a twist gives sense to everything. At the end I cried, an unexpected cry that lasted hours; seriously. This movie is not for kids or juveniles, but for very mature adults who can understand and give it the deserved value. Understanding his message is the true legacy of this incredible but underrated film.

I just have to say most of the negative reviews posted are quite shallow, debasing the entire film simply the entire film simply because the plot line isn't so straightforward? Or because the musical score is 'generic'?I don't know if its just me but i feel that, at its essence, film is an art form that lends a little insight on the world. Sure there are times in the film where an unlikely chain of events happens, but isn't that the beauty of film? That we are able to free ourselves from the shackles of reality and express our perspectives in a different manner? If it's possible to have talking animals in films, why shouldn't it be possible for a group of refugees to stumble upon a castle?For me, the film offered some very provocative ideas from the age old questions on the human condition to modern questions on equity, science and many others. It provided a dynamic mix that i found very original and potent in todays society. The cinematography was very well done (although one can argue that it was generic), the musical score was brilliant at setting the mood, the story line coherent.All in all, if you're looking for an average run of the mill 'unique' story, with some flashy action scenes and are quite discriminative about what's on the surface, this movie will probably not be for you. However if you want a provocative piece of art that lends you a unique perspective i'd strongly recommend this movie.

I'm astounded by some of the low scores for this movie. I watched in awe as a quasi-fascist future was brilliantly brought to life in a highly stylised manner. I was taken in by the visuals from the off and found the story constantly gripping and well considered. The ideas regarding the origins of humanity are even more disturbing than the "battery" idea from the Matrix!! I found the action sequences were superbly done, but by no means were these the be-all and end-all of this movie experience, indeed most of the film is given over to monologues and evocative imagery, rather than the high octane thrill provided by Hollywood. Maybe this is the reason for the low score, it doesn't necessarily do what it says on the tin...but blame the marketing men for that, rather than detracting from a stunning movie experience.