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This is a classic example of Marvel outsourcing its animation; this movie was created almost wholly by an anime studio (Mad House of Trigun and Deathnote fame) with the American studio having very little input. So from that perspective, it succeeds as an anime film. The animation is gorgeous and there is the feeling of world-ending plots and over-the-top villains that are more android than human in their actions. If you're a fan of anime, it's all stuff you've seen before, and you might quite enjoy it.
That said, if you're watching this for the Iron Man feature, you may not want to bother. The narration itself is very disjointed, and the characters are all pretty two-dimensional as another reviewer pointed out. The story is spotty, and it seems like it makes very little sense (why would Nick Fury actively being trying to kill Tony Stark with mandroids? So that there is an excuse to put in more exciting action/mecha scenes, of course!) There's spotty science, and no one seems to be bothered by the question that's set up in the first five minutes of the film which is "Is it okay to send a giant spy satellite into space to spy on people's every move as a crime prevention measure?" The answer seems to be yes, because while that would make for a spectacular plot, that's not what the movie's about.
If by some chance you're a big Ezekiel Stane fan from the comics, you're the one who will be most disappointed at all. Ezekiel is nothing like his 616 counterpart. He is detached from reality, and has zero redeeming qualities. He looks about 14 and Tony Stark repeatedly talks about how he's stepping in as the adult to "scold" him for his best friend's murder. There is nothing of the conniving, off-the-rails Zeke from the comics.
You can rent this movie from multiple digital sources. If you absolutely NEED to see it, renting is the better alternative to buying it.
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Marvel animation is just simply not up to par with DC animation yet, and that's really too bad, especially since Marvel puts out much better live action films. Sadly, this trend continues w/ Marvel's latest offerings. I had higher hopes because I really enjoyed Tales of Asgard and Planet Hulk. I thought they were large steps in the right direction. Instead we get two steps backward. Let me give you specific reasons of what went wrong here:1. Dialog Bad, bad, bad. Especially the scenes between Pepper Potts and Tony. They are cliche-filled, they are cheesy, they are terrible. There are times even when Pepper's lines were three bad lines right in a row, that all said the same thing in a different way. Nick Fury was reduced to a caricature. Only the Punisher has some good lines, but his presence in the film is much more minor than the cover suggests. The opening flight scene between War Machine and Iron Man sets the bar very low as Tony taunts Rhodey over and over again using the same lines, and the movie never clears that bar.
2. Plot VERY MINOR SPOILERS. The plot hinges around an attack on a space tower at the beginning of the film by this "Technovore." Because Tony was there, SHIELD wants to bring him in for questioning. How do they try to bring him in? By trying to kill him. Yes, because Tony won't come in for questioning, Fury authorizes Mandroids, Black Widow, and Hawkeye to kill him. Why the escalation in violence? Who knows? The movie never tells us. In that scene where Technovore destroys the space tower, he also kills everyone inside it. Everyone except Iron Man, of course. Why does he spare Tony when he can easily kill him? Who knows? The movie never tells us. Where does Technovore get his powers from? Who knows? The plot and silliness continue through the entire film, but providing more examples would spoil it for you. Even the climax is a contrived mess that makes no sense.
What went right? The animation is pretty darn good. All of the characters are drawn a little but anime style, but that shouldn't bother anyone. Pepper Potts is strangely unattractive, and Black Widow's breasts are threatening to pop out the entire film. Like I said, it's anime style. The only reason I give this film two stars instead of one is because the animation is decent and they worked the Punisher into a small, but amusing role. I'd still recommend skipping the film.
Best Deals for Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)
At first I wasn't sure why so many were going to give this DVD bad reviews. Most commentaries were over the animation and dialogue.Having watched the movie now, I can see where they are coming from.
From where I sit, Rise of the Technovore is a standard, mediocre anime with a Marvel character, covering and flavor to it.
It's a decent enough anime style if you don't mind how white washed it will be. The lines are rather rote and forced at times. If it didn't have the Marvel name and Iron Man attached to it, this would be one of thousands of animes that's out there and is quickly forgotten because it looks like all of the rest with this technological monster going to destroy the world, tentacles sprouting from it and the hero comes in with everything at dire odds and impossible to win the day yet he does so.
I can see why there are complaints of Punisher's appearance and cameo in this movie being so lack luster. And then Hawkeye and Blackwidow weren't much better off either.
If you look at this as standard anime fare, this is okay, watch it once and forget it. Move on to the next anime in the pile to watch.
But that this has the Marvel name and characters attached to it and the newest Marvel dvd movie out since the end of the MLG Productions and Lionsgate contract and the whole Disney now owns Marvel. People have a right to be upset. I'm glad we have a new dvd movie and that there's a promise of more Marvel Animated movies coming. But more could have been done. The animators could have done better.
Take a page from DC and WB and actually take some comic lines and adapt them to animation like they have. In the mean time, if this is what we continue to see, yes DC is going to own the arena for the direct to dvd animated movies. They are doing better when it comes to direct to dvds and television series.
Honest reviews on Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)
I am a comic artist / writer. I've been an Iron Man fan since I was like 5. I am very familiar with all the subject matter going on in this film; Iron Man, Comics, Comic Movies, Anime-It's all in my wheelhouse.I'd heard these Madhouse Marvel interpretations weren't all THAT amazing (specifically, the Wolverine one). Then, seeing all the 1 and 2-star reviews of this movie, I felt that claim must be true.
But, having watched it, I can't really understand why this movie is getting such a bad rap.
Maybe it's because people are expecting a movie similar in theme / tone to the live action Robert Downey Jr. films. Well, yeah, no, RDJ is not in this film. This is not that kind of film. If you're looking for RDJ winks and asides, you won't find them here (although the movie does try it's best to replicate the new, quipping RDJ-style Tony Stark-To reasonably well effect here). This movie is not an emotional character piece.
What this movie IS: is a true IRON MAN action spectacle. Tony is IN HIS ARMOR for about 90% of the movie (which I love). This movie is less about Tony Stark, more about the powerful armors he, his friend Rhodey, and the new mysterious villain employ. So, if after 3 films of pleasant RDJ-asides, you are looking for more of a straight-up Armored Iron Man Action Fest: this is your flick.
What's even cooler about this movie: It actually ties into the story built thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They mention events that occur in the previous Iron Man films, including references to Obediah Stane and appearances from other Avengers, Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye, who I felt were pretty well represented in this movie. Hawkeye specifically is a hoot in this flick.
The Punisher even shows up, voiced by Norman Reedus ("Daryl" from Walking Dead). Which is interesting, but it somehow fits. It helps that this Punisher is a bit more youthful seeming. Some people might wonder WHAT Punisher is doing in an Iron Man flick, but that's just how COMIC BOOKS work.
There's a lot of humor in this movie, too. Some good one liners. This isn't just throwaway anime garbage-they actually really tried to replicate some of the swagger and sass the original Iron Man movie / Avengers movie had.
Rhodey: "Man, am I glad you're alive!"
Tony: "Not as much as me!"
That's good stuff.
Sure, the story is a LITTLE strange. But seriously, it is not that bad or hard to follow. It has some emotional fugue-ness to it at times (a standard trope in most anime), but for every weird, preachy villain scene (of which there are like 2 or 3)-there are at least 10 awesome action set pieces where Iron Man gets to really strut his stuff.
And STRUT HIS STUFF HE DOES. If there's one thing MADHOUSE knows how to do, it's animate the HECK out of Iron Man. Iron Man's suits have never looked this cool, in the live action movies or otherwise. Iron Man himself is deftly animated, with a slightly new look. And WAR MACHINE is up there with any heavily armed GUNDAM. He's just MASSIVE. It's amazing.
They make use of integrating CG with the animation, sometimes it looks a little stiff-but when it works, it REALLY works.
Giving this movie a 5-star rating to hopefully level out the unjustifiable 2-star rating it currently has.
Don't listen to the haters. If you're looking for a good time with Iron Man, and you're at least REMOTELY an anime fan, there's a lot to like in IRON MAN: RISE OF TECHNOVORE
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Look, I like Marvel comics, I like anime, that doesn't mean they should be combined.***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***
First of all, what is wrong with all the character's eyes? They just look creepy like the animator was just trying too hard to make them anatomically correct but also make them look like an anime character's. Other than that the animation was pretty good.
Plus I could really care less that Obediah had a son he didn't really care about which drove him to become crazy and inject himself with nanobots or whatever those things were.
The best parts of this was the parts with the Punisher in them, because let's face it, anything with Norman Reedus in it is just plain awesome! It was also refreshing to see that Tony made references to other parts of the Marvel universe such as the Savage Land, Asgard, and Captain America. Other than those scenes I could really care less about the rest of this movie.
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Unless you're a HUGE Iron Man or Marvel fan, you can skip over this one. It doesn't really add anything to the overall saga of the Marvel universe.
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