Patlabor 2 |
 | Summary:Leisurely-paced, stratally designed political thriller follows the scrutiny of the mobile police after the repercussion of terrorist attacks. Both intricate and ultra-stylish, this is compulsory viewing for drama fans. Adventurous suspense seekers in store for heavy drama, exciting yet implausibly somnolent pacing. |
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| Company/Distributors: | HEADGEAR;Emotion;TFC;Manga Entertainment |
| Year: | 1993 |
| Length: | 108 Minutes |
| Rating: |  |
| Genres: | Drama, Thriller |
| Format: | Feature Film |
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Synopsis:
Several years have past after the "Special Vehicles Division" first sprang their roots amid the complex metropolis, and a few since the time of scrutiny for the "Babylon Project" and "HOS" ("Three" if anyones counting). But of all the 'asphalt jungles' in the world, "Tokyo" is the center where such ideas are now commonplace. The complex edifice of technological unrest, as well as the instigation of peace treaties has left the booming city under close social and political circumspect for war. Yet amid all the concealment of chaos, there arises a time for the "labors" to spring into action. Like SVD, such 'spin-off' forces consist of the "United Nations Labor Team"; having recently been stemed by an unseen enemy in South East Asia. Forthwith, looming is the potentiality of war and it's amalgamate-effect on Japan's government in the form of the terrorists, instigators and single-handed abominators; who lurk in and out of the shadows and foremost governance holes. Their sole purpose being chaos; discreet and ill-willingly perilous. Such are the instigations of war in 2002. Much has changed since the 'pietistic-bending' days of "Patlabor 1", "Oshii's" first film of the series. Left behind are the often rife themes of sci-fi; played to a huge role of ascendancy in the Patlabor universe. In this intricate follow-up Oshii turns the tide of action and fantasy for the engagingly dark and bemused themes of thriller/political suspense. Aided by (Of course) everybody's favorite police force of the original SVD, head by "Captain Kiichi Goto" and "Shinobu Nagumo"; among others lie the apt and interestingly lovable "Ohta", the headstrong "Noa Izumi", "Asuma" and "Kanuka". After a heavily evinced terrorist bombing of the "Yokohama Bay Bridge" inclines the treat of war, the SVD is summoned to head the case. An instigator of the SVD "Irwakawa" upholds a committal of the situation at hand, but there's more than meets the eye for this fellow serpent-like officer (Also one of Goto's accomplices). The heros and villians of the play are all assembled amid the brink of engagement. Can the original labor team reveal the code for chaos, or is this demonstration simply a means to another insight in the ongoing situation of corruption in "Patlabor 2"; "Mamoru Oshii's" political thriller.
Review:
There are many reasons why I enjoy and love "Oshii's" film, mainly for it's impeccable set-up and undeniably engaging quiddities. Something which the movie flourishes in from beginning to end, visible high and low; entwined and exposed through sheer artistic quality. It's a quality This time around the spotlight centers on "Goto" and "Shinobu", both gruff and quick-witted as always. Surprisingly, the only science-fiction element in this film are the labors themselves; not to mention even they are a bit on the customary side of things. Patlabor 2 plays like a thriller set amid the backdrop of a present day booming metropolis, each section of the film is seemingly real yet wreaks of a presence only discovered in quirky fantasys or "Kawamori" epics. There are four parallels to the actual story of Patlabor 2, one involving the police force under Goto and "Tsuge's" handling set to uncover the "Yokohama" undergoings, the key basis in our opening monologues (Some of which involve a few top-secret missiles, a disc and yellow dirigibles). Second on the pallet is the presence of "Shinobu", her enigmatic past as well as her explication of her position and the corrupt government. Also, we have "Noa" and "Asuma"; though less prominent here than in the first movie, still uphold a great presence as the headstrong officers and labor pilots; who cogitate their seemingly endless convictions about technology and the police force (Which are all amusing and taunting). Last and foremost we have the conspiracy of ("1999") and the UN labors, it's involvement with "Irwakawa" and Gota's instigation of the matter at hand; such is the core of Patlabor 2, the filthy and leaking politics thriving within the depths of Tokyo and one faulty video tape recording. All these elements of the film are intermingled and manipulated to the level of perfection, the prolate zooms and edits; prolonged exposition of both pyrotechnics and 'silent' cinematography are all key factors in producing a nail-biting thriller. Of course a film like this one wouldn't be complete without the plethora of both plenipotentiary and frill-characters, something second nature to Oshii's as well as films of this caliber; few attempt to come close to the technical and visual brilliance of this masterpiece. Everything about Patlabor 2's visual and storyline appeal are at the top of it's class. Each environment from the signature-Oshii etiolated backgrounds to the more vibrant of visual backdrops are all meticulous and stunningly beautiful. Something which plays like a turbo-charged "Wings Of Honneamise" merdged with a more peaceful "Ghost In The Shell". The result is a cross between the two films complete with stunning vistas and some crisp artwork. It would be uncustomary to settle for anything less in Oshii's world, engulfed with various computer terminals, underground militia headquartering, dark government rooms and subway leeways holding tanks, tech-apparatus and of course your given 'labors'. This is the complex patlabor world which Oshii originally envisioned. Simply brought forth with "Mobile Police", pushed to envelope in the first film and now worked to perfection in Patlabor 2. "Kenji Kawai's" wonderfully evocative score is both well-suited and wonted to the mood and sheer look of the film; it also surpasses the first movie's more playfully enigmatic and rampant music. The script by "Kazunori Itoh" displays the director's impeccable talent to render such characters 'voidless' by comparison to other anime films. We witness expressions by the characters aiding disposition and feelings like fear, aggression and even contemplation (Take a close look at Gota during the scene in which Shinobu is being chewed-out by her superior officers). The brilliantly deviant snake "Irwakawa" is one of the more subtly clever and true inquisitors I've witnessed in animated film. The method by which Oshii goes about utilizing scenery and color in the underlying of a character or several characters is apsolutely brilliant; reminiscent of the age-old literary method of "pathetic fallacy". Such displays serve mainly in exposing distinct emotions and feelings, which is what character utilization is all about. Oshii knows how to manipulate his characters within an environment, quite possibly better than any animation director; right up there with "Otomo" and "Miyazaki". And the environment aids a great deal in this sequel. Anyone who's seen this film can argue that the crucial element here is one of suspense and dialouge. The dialouge in Patlabor 2 doesn't simply expose itself amid the environment of the film, it breaths through and within the characters; who all cogitate the meaning of the words through expression and visual emotion (The one's discovered in animation expression and color). All of this is brought humbly together through some of the finest direction this side of the anime realm. So many parallels of a storyline can only hope to be an exposition through animation. It's simple yet profound manipuation of expression, color, movement and style. Something which anime foremost proves, that live-action films cannot hope to accomplish this in the same manor. Most of all however, Patlabor 2 achieves what it's intended to accomplish, entertain; it does so through great characters and pacing. Even though that pacing may be excruciatingly leisure (For some anyway). That at all doesn't affect this wonderfully crafted movie which flows with both technical grace and dialouge fluidity. Because of that, Patlabor 2 never makes us feel lost as an audience; that alone is the most important thing for a film like this one. Furthermore, an anti-war film. That aspect alone shouldn't have escaped the fact that the ideas and notions portrayed in the film exist within an intellection which is perhaps too brilliant for it's own good. Is the absence of war a just peace, or is peace simply just an absence of war? Oshii's film received the award for best animated feature at the "1993 Mainichi Film Competition" in Japan, and there's a clear foundation for that reason; Patlabor 2 is tauntingly fresh, dynamic and inquisitive; and a truly great film. It achieves this by a unique sense of vision, direction and (As one character put it) curiosity. Luckily for us, Mamoru Oshii knows how to use it without killing the cat. Just remember not to try and start a war by yourself . Like most scary and brilliant things such as great directing, it always has to be planned out first.
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which can be discovered through each character of "Patlabor 2", second to mention; they are characters who have foremost abandoned (Rather out-grew) the many parallels of their personalities seen in earlier endeavors like "The Mobile Police". And let me just say that it's a fine and welcome change. The film is also one of the more beautifully constructed anime movies in recent years, always thriving within it's storyline is the foundation of the SVD; which is so strong in fact that intros and rudimentary foundations are refreshingly unnecessary. This factor is a common problem in sequels as well as anime films in general, that character and story distillations in openings are second-nature to plot. What I love about "Oshii's" films in general is that he attempts to cajole his characters with both purpose and emotion, giving all his films a dignified sense of depth. All the cards have been layed out on the table and the only thing left to do is play the game. Very few of Oshii's films come up short or either fail to fullfill the margin necessary for entertainment. Thanks to some astounding timing and direction Oshii can manipulate a presumably tired storyline into something mind-numbling and utterly engaging. Patlabor 2 the reason why I'm an Oshii fan.