Sharon Kerr-Bullian I picked this up on a lark because the cover was three hot Japanese babes, and the flick was directed by the same guy behind Ghost in the Shell. For a bargain bin find, it was well worth it.I'll say straight away, if you're not into hard sci fi (especially written hard sci fi), you're probably going to find it dragging and dull, and you're going to hate the intro.If you don't really like Japanese movies/anime/manga, you might struggle to like this film. If this is your first Japanese movie, put it down, and go pick up Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children instead, it has a more universal appeal, and fewer long scenes that don't advance the plot.The basic plot: The world had some big problems, there was a big economic collapse, wars, stuff like that. Afterward, the world fell into a kind of dark ages where everything (technology especially) stagnated. People were no longer satisfied with their lives in the false utopia that followed all the problems. A lot of them found an outlet for their most basic human emotional needs in a video game named Avalon. This movie follows a group of players in a second imagining of Avalon, named Avalon-F, which is basically a MMO/Hunting game on steroids. The characters all start off trying to solo a big boss, which the game informs them is not really possible. However, the gamers are stubborn and want the glory/advancement for themselves, and it takes them a while to come around to working together. The movie is about them finally coming to the decision to work together, and the struggles, internal and external they go through in the process.There are lots of long, pretty shots where you don't see anything that advances the story in a meaningful way, just gives you things to think about. I enjoyed it, I like meandering around in video games and exploring my surroundings, so for a movie about a video game to do that was fun for me. That said, if you're a passive viewer who doesn't like sitting around waiting for action to happen, this movie is not for you.I loved the costume design. Lucifer in particular was great. She appears to have feathers for hair, which will make sense if you keep watching. I love the personal moments that show this character having fun, she's a pretty character, and looks like she really enjoys herself in this virtual world. She finds unexpected ways to have fun, considering the premise of the video game she's playing.My biggest complaint about this movie comes from the choice of having the actors wear masks, but not recording their voices in a recording studio later. It makes their speech very hard to follow because it's muffled all the time. Movie making 101 should have told the director not to make that mistake.Overall, it's a good movie, and it hits all the right points for me. If you can pick it up cheap and like sci fi and Japanese movies, go for it.

Rabh17 I give this a 7 because of the Introduction: It was Long. Looooong. Talky-talky Loooooong. Boringly LONG! I began to wonder if I had mistakenly streamed a documentary.But really, you don't need the beginning Blah-Blah-blah to enjoy this flick. So Fast-Forward past the first 8 minutes. Don't need it.Now to enjoy this movie-- you get extra oomph if you are a Gamer, because this flick is speaking on a basic level about Gaming and what it does to people, and thru implication, to greater society. Now the other reviews have the plot firmly on the head. A couple of female players team up to take on a mega-dragon/sandworm.But that's not really the plot-- it's a context. And the Movie itself, is a Commentary.Warning-- especially to Gamers. Even though it's about a Game-- it's Not non-stop blood guts and explosions. Instead it's scenically poetic. And when the action happens it's very nicely FX-ed, but it's pointedly emplaced.Instead, pay attention to the Characters and the direction the Dialogue is going. When the End comes, because I have placed an online game, I actually busted out laughing because IT MADE SENSE! And it was that moment that made the entire flick pleasantly enjoyable (Minus the 8 minutes of blah-blah-blah, that is) I wouldn't make this a Main event movie for a Saturday night though. I'd stage this as a Friday night runner-up with some friends. Even Better if ALL of you do online games. You'll get a kick out of this one.Extra Warning-- Even though the lead actors are women, this is NOT a Girlfriend Friendly Flick. . .unless she's totally cool and she also plays online games with you.

demondude777 I've read a lot of reviews about how bad this movie was, so I decided to give it a watch to see if I feel the same. (I discovered the movie by watching the video for the closing song) After watching it I feel like I got a different take then most people. I guess being use to watching a lot of Asian cinema and playing mmorpg games gives me a different perspective then those that expect this to follow the standard movie formula.First off if your interests are watching a movie about girls with guns kicking butt, then you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a traditional story line, then again you will be disappointed. If you are looking for fast paced action, yet again you will be disappointed. Going into this is less like going into a movie and more like watching a mmorpg play out. The long walks...the strategy...the stats discussions, I've done them before. All mmorpg.And for the characters, as far as a movie goes they appear very shallow, however from a mmorpg perspective each one plays into one specific aspect that gamers carry: admiration, enjoyment, escape, and determination.To go into more detail by explaining the snail scene as well as give evidence to back up, read below: (and this is where *MAJOR SPOILERS* come in. Skip this if you haven't seen the movie.) Colonel is the symbol of admiration; the type of gamer that says, "Oh wow, look at those graphics". In the snail scene she places the snail on the status and just sits there and watches it move then leaves it. Also in other scenes she is shown walking around looking to the sky or the ground as if she is viewing her surroundings.Next Lucifer is the symbol of enjoyment. She plays for fun. Hence why at the snail she took off her hat and played a game similar to peek-a-boo. Outside of that scene she is always dancing and goofing off (one scene she is told to stop dancing during battle). Also the way she is introduced is through what I would assume to be a unnatural entrance: crashing from the sky.Then Jager is the symbol of escape, aka the role-player. He picks the snail ups and eats it. To him the game is a 2nd life. He is also the only character seen eating and sleeping. Also his camp mode is very different then the other camp mode. Towards the end Gray says that it is "not the time to play the role of the adventurer" to him. (At the end he mentions he is changing his character type to PVP - yet another type of gamer) Finally Gray symbolized determination, the character that plans their growth to level up fastest and become the strongest,hence the crushing of the snail shell. She is the only one (apart from a comment from Colonel about hitting xp ceiling) that talks about or is talked to about her level and stats. Also when she walks around she is always looking through a scouter as if she is looking for something to kill.*END SPOILERS* If you want to watch this movie, know what you are getting into first. This is less of a movie and more of a game. To the average viewer I recommend skipping it. But if you love mmorpgs then this might be a good movie to try.Again all others stay away or you will discover boredom quickly.

JoeB131 The only reason to watch this film is because it has three hot Japanese babe in it.Sadly, they are given very little to do. The plot is I guess is that for some reason, three babes are in this Virtual reality game because the world outside has been largely wiped out, but apparently, the game merely consists of hunting CGI sand-serpents with elaborate weapons. Or something. Let me know if you figure it out...The special effects aren't bad, but the characters are so dull, and there are such long gaps in action, such as long shots of a huge snail before the male lead eats it....Maybe this is a treatment for insomnia in Japan.