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by andoroido » Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:13 am
A review:
I got both discs, trying to think of it as "supporting the arts" rather than
"blowing $100 on ASFR"
Production values are pretty good for an indie film, they take
advantage of some locations in Osaka which look suitably
futuristic.
The acting is OK. My main gripe is that there is way too much time
with guys talking about the gynoids, or talking about the crimes they
solve, instead of just watching the gynoids, who don't talk much. 60 minutes of movie, but maybe 20 minutes with the gynoids.
Special effects are so-so. One of the main baddies is a big robo-tank,
which is very very clearly CGI made on a home PC. I can forgive that.
When one of the gynoids does any kind of big Matrix-like acrobatics, or intereacts directly with the CGI tank, she is replaced by a PC-level CGI version of herself. This just looks cheezy, and should have been replaced with just plain REAL fighting, which does occur.
As for the gynoid-ness.
The costumes are cool, all lycra, gun holsters, funky visors, contact lenses to seem more mechanical. The glowing eyes effect is done well.
The repair scene is not so good. Repairs are done on a mannequin with a foam/latex head molded from one of the actresses, which unfortunately, didn't turn out looking like her, or any human. The repair bay is a featureless white room, all CGI, and the CGI repair arms that pop off the head and put it onto a spare body are, well.... obviously they were planning on doing something more but either didn't have time or someone let them down. I guess the head was used because they probably invested a bit of cash in it, and time, but weren't willing to part with it even though it looks terrible.
So, basically they should have just had the actress lay motionless with her eyes closed.
The mannequin does have some panels and charging ports in it, which were done well.
The damage scenes and makeup are quite good. In an match up with a tank, the main gynoid gets both legs blown off just above the knees. She struggles to reach her pistol. The actress is pretty clearly in a pit with a fake damaged body laid above her, and the join is OK, but the camera angle makes it more apparent. Still, a good job.
In another battle she takes damage to her arm, good cut scene with a closeup of a fake arm with wires and holes. But the makeup on the actress is convincing for the wide shots, and she is good at keeping the arm limp.
Her companion gets blown into pieces (like C3PO in Empire) but the pieces include that foam/rubber head that doesn't look real at all and ruins it.
Freezes and wind downs
One good wind down and freeze. After repairs, the main gynoid is put through her paces, doing a walking endurance test, her pace slows and slows and she freezes as her battery dies. Good sound effects on this, too.
Actress does a good freeze as well. Unfortunately, this is the only great ASFR scene.
Another wind down as the main gynoid is beat up by the evil gynoid, she is dazed stumbles and falls after a few punches to the head. Blank stare, and a cool gynoid-eye view of warning messages etc.
Acting
They're emotionless, don't talk much, and normal voices if they do, walk like normal humans (or more like soldiers) When the programmer has the main gynoid smile once in response to some praise, the smile is appropriately fake and creepy.
They're good at freezes, just wish that had been used more instead of the ugly foam-headed mannequins.
Side note, the main gynoid is maybe 20 years old, but her partner (and the main evil gynoid, a stolen, reprogrammed copy of her partner) are played by a 13-year old, I think. This removes the "S"and"F" from ASFR for me.
A sub-plot involves a gynoid mannequin in a shop window. Basically a cute woman with a kind of vacant stare and permanent smile who stands in the window and waves, swiveling left and right. A clerk falls in love with her and steals her, dreaming about taking her on a date, but she doesn't eat anything, or talk, and just stares at him and smiles. He admits his theft to the boss and the sub-plot ends
Anyway, it's OK. Not great, not terrible. Better than most stuff out there, but I'm left thinking about what it could have been with a few better production decisions (from our viewpoint) [They seem to have spent a lot of money and time on realistic gun replicas, which definitely helps the action scenes, and the girls are quite good at using them in a fashion that looks proficient, yet programmed.. but I'd rather spend the money on ASFR faves]
Not worth $100, unless you're really looking for a complete collection. It would definitely be worth a rental, if that were possible.
