Going to the movies has always been a beloved pastime for me. I can still vividly recall regularly attending a small local theater in California. It was no Harkins or AMC in term of size, but at that age there's a magical quality to any such place, and it is a sad fact of life that we lose sight of that as the years pass. But that's a topic for another day. I believe everyone has those seminal theater experiences that set the standard for such visits and help shape their attitude about the medium. To date, there have been 5 for me: Matilda, A Goofy Movie, Attack of the Clones, The Dark Knight, and "Digimon: The Movie".
"Digimon" is one of my favorite movies of all time for wholly special reasons. It's not one I recommend to people in general, it clearly wasn't conceived as a full-length feature, and is widely dismissive of usual critical standards. If one really wants to make the case that this is a bad movie, they've got a goldmine to work with. But, for someone like me, who happens to fall squarely within the target demographic, this movie delivers everything hoped for: the joy of being reacquainted with people and creatures who get to do what they do best. It's the perfect subject for a quality of film criticism that has become something of an endangered species amongst all the self-aggrandizing "objective" analyses that have flooded the internet.
At the time of the movie's release, my obsession with the series was at its peak. The second season was in full swing and the news of a theatrical project launched my excitement into the stratosphere. It was unthinkable; the opportunity to see the fantastical antics of the show on the big screen with improved animation. My expectations were general in nature, and the results were satisfying. Sequences and images from this film stayed with me long after leaving the theater, and I waited with great anticipation for the video release.
While there's not much depth to the portrayal of the characters, the strong voice-work from the series carries over. The cast had grown into their roles at this point, effortlessly conveying the vivid, distinct personalities of the team. They never seem to be phoning it in, even during the cameos. The second-generation team hadn't quite settled in yet, though Brian Donovan is amusing as Davis and Cody remains in the sidelines...where he belongs.
It's impossible to miss the fact that the movie is essentially a compilation of three shorts that were forcibly connected. The results: newcomer Willis is awkwardly shoehorned into the first two episodes and the story of Kokomon eviscerated. The movie would have worked fine as three distinct tales that happen to take place in the same universe. Nonetheless, this inelegant melding, while creating some confusion, doesn't make it impossible to be drawn into the individual episodes.
One may find it surprising how strong "Digimon: The Movie" is in two areas. First, all three segments boast an effective atmosphere. Consider the night-time depiction of Highton View Terrace in the first segment, or the entirety of "Our War Game" that takes place within a surreal physical interpretation of the internet (the progenitor for OZ in "Summer Wars"). Even "Hurricane Landing" excels in this respect, with numerous tense, nightmarish encounters with the villain. Second, the soundtrack is forceful and ubiquitous. Udi Harpaz and Amotz Plessner did a terrific job crafting certain themes to bolster the action or set the mood, in some cases even re-mixing themes from the television series to give them a more "theatrical" quality. The new rendition of the widely reviled English Digimon theme song, for example, actually works very well with the brawl between Greymon and Parrotmon. The random insertion of pop songs, however, is hit-or-miss at best.
One fascinating thing about certain intellectual properties is how they work with their apparent limitations, or, as Ebert might put it, "finding inspiration in their limitations". "Digimon" has never been known for pushing the envelope in animation, and the movie is no exception; the human characters have a rough look that is far removed from the livelier aesthetic of the anime. But, in its best moments, one gets the impression of an uneven product that nonetheless aspires to set itself apart. The terrific sense of scale in the confrontation with the Diaboromon army, the forceful rendering of "Big Agumon's" flame breath, the fighting maneuvers of Flamedramon and Antylamon, and many others demonstrate commendable use of visuals, sound, and timing.
"Digimon: The Movie" was and remains an important part of my affinity for the Digimon franchise. The conclusion of "Digimon Tamers" commenced the decline of the series, which would soon be replaced by Star Wars on my list of priorities. It was not an easy thing to move on from, despite the arrival of something new to fill the void. Yet, even during this waning, "Digimon: The Movie" kept my fondness for the series alive, even if for brief moments. Today, there is no shortage of resources to fulfill that want. The anime is readily available in all its incarnations, and the Tri movie series has recently concluded, with a new film set for release in 2020. But, on a very personal level, "Digimon: The Movie" is different. Like a true event, its impact endures the years and revisiting it "is to revisit a place in the mind" (Ebert). Some may call it a nostalgia trip, a term that has taken a largely derisive meaning in the current pop-culture context. But there's no reason to be ashamed of occasionally looking to the past for solace. I appreciate innovative material as much as the next person, but when I re-watch this film, part of me is always back in that California theater, when Digimon meant the world and there was no obligation to prove it to anyone. I think we all need something like that from time to time.
"Digimon" is one of my favorite movies of all time for wholly special reasons. It's not one I recommend to people in general, it clearly wasn't conceived as a full-length feature, and is widely dismissive of usual critical standards. If one really wants to make the case that this is a bad movie, they've got a goldmine to work with. But, for someone like me, who happens to fall squarely within the target demographic, this movie delivers everything hoped for: the joy of being reacquainted with people and creatures who get to do what they do best. It's the perfect subject for a quality of film criticism that has become something of an endangered species amongst all the self-aggrandizing "objective" analyses that have flooded the internet.
At the time of the movie's release, my obsession with the series was at its peak. The second season was in full swing and the news of a theatrical project launched my excitement into the stratosphere. It was unthinkable; the opportunity to see the fantastical antics of the show on the big screen with improved animation. My expectations were general in nature, and the results were satisfying. Sequences and images from this film stayed with me long after leaving the theater, and I waited with great anticipation for the video release.
While there's not much depth to the portrayal of the characters, the strong voice-work from the series carries over. The cast had grown into their roles at this point, effortlessly conveying the vivid, distinct personalities of the team. They never seem to be phoning it in, even during the cameos. The second-generation team hadn't quite settled in yet, though Brian Donovan is amusing as Davis and Cody remains in the sidelines...where he belongs.
It's impossible to miss the fact that the movie is essentially a compilation of three shorts that were forcibly connected. The results: newcomer Willis is awkwardly shoehorned into the first two episodes and the story of Kokomon eviscerated. The movie would have worked fine as three distinct tales that happen to take place in the same universe. Nonetheless, this inelegant melding, while creating some confusion, doesn't make it impossible to be drawn into the individual episodes.
One may find it surprising how strong "Digimon: The Movie" is in two areas. First, all three segments boast an effective atmosphere. Consider the night-time depiction of Highton View Terrace in the first segment, or the entirety of "Our War Game" that takes place within a surreal physical interpretation of the internet (the progenitor for OZ in "Summer Wars"). Even "Hurricane Landing" excels in this respect, with numerous tense, nightmarish encounters with the villain. Second, the soundtrack is forceful and ubiquitous. Udi Harpaz and Amotz Plessner did a terrific job crafting certain themes to bolster the action or set the mood, in some cases even re-mixing themes from the television series to give them a more "theatrical" quality. The new rendition of the widely reviled English Digimon theme song, for example, actually works very well with the brawl between Greymon and Parrotmon. The random insertion of pop songs, however, is hit-or-miss at best.
One fascinating thing about certain intellectual properties is how they work with their apparent limitations, or, as Ebert might put it, "finding inspiration in their limitations". "Digimon" has never been known for pushing the envelope in animation, and the movie is no exception; the human characters have a rough look that is far removed from the livelier aesthetic of the anime. But, in its best moments, one gets the impression of an uneven product that nonetheless aspires to set itself apart. The terrific sense of scale in the confrontation with the Diaboromon army, the forceful rendering of "Big Agumon's" flame breath, the fighting maneuvers of Flamedramon and Antylamon, and many others demonstrate commendable use of visuals, sound, and timing.
"Digimon: The Movie" was and remains an important part of my affinity for the Digimon franchise. The conclusion of "Digimon Tamers" commenced the decline of the series, which would soon be replaced by Star Wars on my list of priorities. It was not an easy thing to move on from, despite the arrival of something new to fill the void. Yet, even during this waning, "Digimon: The Movie" kept my fondness for the series alive, even if for brief moments. Today, there is no shortage of resources to fulfill that want. The anime is readily available in all its incarnations, and the Tri movie series has recently concluded, with a new film set for release in 2020. But, on a very personal level, "Digimon: The Movie" is different. Like a true event, its impact endures the years and revisiting it "is to revisit a place in the mind" (Ebert). Some may call it a nostalgia trip, a term that has taken a largely derisive meaning in the current pop-culture context. But there's no reason to be ashamed of occasionally looking to the past for solace. I appreciate innovative material as much as the next person, but when I re-watch this film, part of me is always back in that California theater, when Digimon meant the world and there was no obligation to prove it to anyone. I think we all need something like that from time to time.