Personally I tend to like somber anime with flashes of action/violence that really hit you full on because you (as the viewer) are invested in the story and characters. For example: Ghost in the Shell, Jin-Roh, Rurouni Kenshin OAV's, Grave of the fireflies, and even Blood. I also like action for actions sake, but only if it's done well. For this reason Drunken Master II is one of my all time favorite films (That last fight in the steel works... drool) but so is Ran, because the latter is one of the best movies ever made.
I can appreciate both types of films, I guess not everyone else can.
Spriggan is definitely vapid, you don't see it for it's characters or clever plot. What you see it for is the technical brilliance used during the action. And sadly most of the best stuff is at the first 1/3 of the film, but that's another issue entirely.
Despite what some people may think it takes a great deal of creativity and talent to compose world class action sequences. There's definitely skill and genius to be seen in John Woo, Cameron, Wo Ping, Chan, Otomo, and a host of other people, often noted for action rather than drama.
Spriggan has those world class action sequences and for that reason is worth seeing at least once, preferably in the best possible format. Just don't expect symbolism from the movie, it's critical of the U.S. but not in any subtle or clever ways. And I often laughed because the comments made about the States work equally well for Japan, it just came off as finger pointing.
So to clarify... As is so often the case, the extreme views are not exactly with it. Spriggan is not the next Akira, not the next Mononoke, and it's certainly not the piece of garbage some people would like to think.
I can appreciate both types of films, I guess not everyone else can.
Spriggan is definitely vapid, you don't see it for it's characters or clever plot. What you see it for is the technical brilliance used during the action. And sadly most of the best stuff is at the first 1/3 of the film, but that's another issue entirely.
Despite what some people may think it takes a great deal of creativity and talent to compose world class action sequences. There's definitely skill and genius to be seen in John Woo, Cameron, Wo Ping, Chan, Otomo, and a host of other people, often noted for action rather than drama.
Spriggan has those world class action sequences and for that reason is worth seeing at least once, preferably in the best possible format. Just don't expect symbolism from the movie, it's critical of the U.S. but not in any subtle or clever ways. And I often laughed because the comments made about the States work equally well for Japan, it just came off as finger pointing.
So to clarify... As is so often the case, the extreme views are not exactly with it. Spriggan is not the next Akira, not the next Mononoke, and it's certainly not the piece of garbage some people would like to think.