Being the huge phenomenon "Attack on Titan" is (on manga and anime), a live action movie was always to have a huge problem to live up to expectations. This first part of a two-part shows all the shortcomings fans feared, but at the same time it is fun enough and has a quite good atmosphere.
The movie (I would like to meet the person who came up with the weird English title, which is already on the original manga) has a pretty basic story. Titans appeared out of nowhere, humans hid behind walls (three, that separate agricultural, commercial and rich people zones) and 100 years have gone by since the attacks. The movie starts with an attack on the outer wall, and with our protagonists running away for their own lives. This first moments shows the good and bad of the movie. The attack is OK, the fear and desperation of people can be felt, but the actors are a little bit bland, the effects not "amazing" and the plot shows shortcomings (like some characters' actions). If the movie had amazing effects, those shortcomings would be easy to forget for many viewers, but here all piles to an OK start.
The rest is more of the same in that respect. Action is OK but not great, effects range from ridiculous to OK, and the acting too. The idea of a hyper-militarized society, with so little space it is forced to reach out to get food to its inhabitants rings many bells... Nonetheless, it all ends up being interesting enough. But the mystery, which in the manga has time to develop, here has to be rushed, and it just leaves too many questions unanswered. Will those be answered in the second part?
For now, it will probably disappoint many of the fans (starting with the 100% Japanese population of this world, couldn't they find anyone from somewhere else in the world?, and continuing with the difficult job of bringing the Titans to life). But it is also a good enough movie, that brings some tension, some fun, and a couple of questions (stolen from the manga) to think about.
The movie (I would like to meet the person who came up with the weird English title, which is already on the original manga) has a pretty basic story. Titans appeared out of nowhere, humans hid behind walls (three, that separate agricultural, commercial and rich people zones) and 100 years have gone by since the attacks. The movie starts with an attack on the outer wall, and with our protagonists running away for their own lives. This first moments shows the good and bad of the movie. The attack is OK, the fear and desperation of people can be felt, but the actors are a little bit bland, the effects not "amazing" and the plot shows shortcomings (like some characters' actions). If the movie had amazing effects, those shortcomings would be easy to forget for many viewers, but here all piles to an OK start.
The rest is more of the same in that respect. Action is OK but not great, effects range from ridiculous to OK, and the acting too. The idea of a hyper-militarized society, with so little space it is forced to reach out to get food to its inhabitants rings many bells... Nonetheless, it all ends up being interesting enough. But the mystery, which in the manga has time to develop, here has to be rushed, and it just leaves too many questions unanswered. Will those be answered in the second part?
For now, it will probably disappoint many of the fans (starting with the 100% Japanese population of this world, couldn't they find anyone from somewhere else in the world?, and continuing with the difficult job of bringing the Titans to life). But it is also a good enough movie, that brings some tension, some fun, and a couple of questions (stolen from the manga) to think about.