Review by Howard Anderson © 2001 Howard Anderson

Story

In the near future, a large number of young people have become addicted to a virtual war game called "Avalon." Ash is a solo player widely regarded as the strongest in the branch. She was a member of the legendary party Wizard, which was once hailed as invincible, but broke up for reasons unknown. One day she comes across a player called Bishop, who assimilates her style and shows excellent skill. His personal data cannot be found in the database of players and even the game master refuses to tell her about it. Soon she learns that Murphy, former leader of Wizard, has become an "unreturned" - a term used for someone whose brain has been severely damaged by the game and is left in a state of catatonia. It appears that Murphy was trying to reach
the ultimate goal of the game. The rumour says "Avalon" has a secret final field "Class SA", where the game cannot be reset. Murphy succeeded to access, but failed to return. To find out the truth about Wizard and the game itself, Ash is left with no alternative but to go inside the unknown battlefield...

Review

Mamoru Oshii's "Avalon" opens the gate to the future of cinema. And that is no mere hyperbole. The nuances and rhythms of the near-future world created here are captivating to the point of transfixion, and not only is this film a visual innovation unlike any other, it is also an onrush of science fiction originality the likes of which I haven't seen since a certain film by the Wachowski Brothers completely redefined the genre a little over two years ago.

Filmed on location in Poland and Warszawa with the cooperation of the Polish armed forces, the production was provided with a multitude of firearms, tanks and other hardware, allowing the filmmakers to elevate the realist intensity of the breakneck action sequences to a level that is rarely seen. The unique principle of Oshii's production method was to digitize all materials and reconstruct them on computers, creating a seamless blend of live action, animation, and computer generated imagery. The various designs utilized in bringing "Avalon" into being are also quite unique. From the mechanical designs of Asushi Takeuchi, to the costume designs of Magdalena Teslawska, the amount of detail and care that went into crafting every single object and item is simply staggering. The helicopter gunships are some of the most malevolent-looking war machines to ever have ravaged the skies, and down on the ground the same applies tenfold for the Citadel - an unstoppable juggernaut of an armoured monstrosity. The battle gear and outfit worn by Ash looks stunning and seriously cool, and it also looks like something that might actually serve a purpose in the kind of situations that she finds herself. There is just so much here that it is simply impossible for the naked eye to grasp it all in one viewing.

But for all its breathtaking visuals and impressive set-pieces, the story and characters still remain the film's primary focal point, due in large part to the screenplay by Kazunori Ito, who also wrote the screenplay for Oshii's previous directorial effort, "Ghost in the Shell." Also that film featured an impressive opening sequence, but the first eight and a half minutes of "Avalon" surpasses not only that film, but most others, as well.
It immediately sets the stage for a pulse pounding and extraordinary game of first-person shooter, but one point that must be emphasized is that there is more to "Avalon" than merely that. There is a mystery here, an intricate puzzle that has to be carefully pieced together, and as Ash delves deeper and deeper into this world of not only an illegal and highly compulsive game, but also of her own reality, the more questions arise. This film is every bit as cerebral as it is physical, and due to Mamoru Oshii's confident and skillful direction, it never makes the mistake of underestimating its audience.

Image

From the very first fade in one thing becomes painstakingly apparent regarding the DVD presentation of "Avalon", and that is how stunningly flawless and perfect the picture looks in every possible way. Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, this is quite possibly the finest anamorphic transfer that I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. The color palette is composed largely of a varying degree of grays and flesh tones, and some of the shots have also been given a very subdued kind of quality to them, making the visuals feel almost dreamlike at times. Director of Photography, Grzegorz Kedzierski, has given each of the three worlds in which the story is set its own distinct signature, and they all come off looking flawless on this disc. The amount of detail is remarkable, and the sense of depth is incredible. Black level and shadow definition is right on the mark, and I could detect no signs of edge enhancement, chroma noise, pixelation or color smearing.

Sound

The film opens on a battlefield as four tanks engage an invisible enemy, and there is only the sound to indicate the presence of a helicopter stalking overhead. What follows is an aural assault powerful enough to level whole city blocks. The Memorial Box Edition comes with dual Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS 6.1 ES soundtracks in the original Polish language, as well as a Japanese dub in Dolby Surround only. The Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 6.1 tracks are virtually identical, but I still found the DTS track preferable, as I felt it provided a better defined soundstage and a more powerful bass extension. This mix is alive with everything from the most gentle of whispers, to the most earth-shattering of explosions, and during the game sequences especially, the activity and low frequency effects in all 6.1 channels is simply remarkable. It should also be noted that the dialogue is distortion-free and intelligible throughout, and that the DVD comes with English and Japanese subtitles.

Features

The "Avalon: Memorial Box Edition" is available for a period of one year only, and in addition to the Two-Disc set, the Memorial Box also contains two very detailed books about the production. The first one is entitled "Avalon: An Inside Look", and contains a synopsis, various production notes and cast profiles. The second book is simply called "Avalon: Pre-Production Book", and within the 290 pages, you'll find the Treatment and Screenplay by Kazunori Ito, and Mamory Oshii's own Storyboards. There is also a section dedicated to the Art and Mechanical Designs by Atsushi Takeuchi, as well as complete staff and cast credits. Both books are in Japanese only, but no matter how you fare linguistically, the storyboards and design sketches are still a treat. The Extra Features are all located on Disc Two.

"Days of Avalon" is a 100-minute behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Avalon." This is a great production diary, taking you on location and even showing you Mamoru Oshii's surprise birthday party as he turned 48. "Days of Avalon" is presented in full frame and 2.0 Surround. The image quality is good, and the frontal soundstage is surprisingly wide for a documentary. It comes with Japanese subtitles and 11 chapter selections. "Avalon VFX Making" is a 40-minute documentary that deals specifically with the visual effects. Here you can choose from two different audio tracks that are both in Japanese and 4 chapter stops, where each chapter deals with a specific vfx studio that worked on the film. The Visual Image Lib. is a 4 minutes and 50 second montage displaying concept designs and location photography. In the Trailers & TV Spots section, you'll find 3 trailers that are all presented in anamorphic widescreen, and with your choice of either Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0 Surround sound. The 3 TV Spots are all in full frame and 2.0 Surround only. There is also a DVD Staff Credit, and a cool screensaver that activates after about a minute.

Overall Opinion

"Avalon" is state-of-the-art filmmaking at its finest. The story is ingenious and intricate, the cast is fantastic, and the visuals will forever imprint themselves on your retina. The DVDs come in an amazing box set, with each DVD contained within its own separate Keep Case. The feature film presentation is among the best that I have ever seen, and the Supplemental Material disc is loaded with some truly great features. The Memorial Box is a bit on the expensive side, but I for one feel that it's well worth it.