The story itself is relatively sound, however certain excellent and iconic scenes from the original series were abbreviated significantly or cut out entirely. That's the nature of creating a film based on a dense and lengthy animated series, however, some of the choices in regards to what was removed are questionable. The changes and additions made to the flow of the plot between the series and the movie, however, smooth the flow of the movie significantly. While many movie adaptations of lengthy series' feel rushed, awkward, confusing and overwhelming, this movie manages to mitigate those feelings for the most part. That's not to say there aren't certain elements of character development that are lost, there are, especially when it comes to Amuro's appearance in the movie. But even that isn't a total disaster and it's apparent that great care was taken to maintain the integrity of the story line.
The art direction of this film is downright schizophrenic and absolutely the most disappointing part of the film. The new footage created for the movie is absolutely amazing and mind-blowing. It is some of the best animation ever, it's downright gorgeous. Epic space battles rendered using this new animation are truly a sight to behold. However, there's not enough of it. What feels like the majority of the film uses outdated animation from the original series. To make matters worse, rarely are entire scenes played out with the new animation, splicing together the new and old footage in awkward ways that could honestly illicit a laugh. Quick cuts between the new and old animation for something as simple as Kamille and Quattro walking through the Argama are extremely jarring and not enjoyable for the viewer. The striking new animation juxtaposed against the older animation and the amateurish nature of the cuts between them is an enormous blemish on what would be an otherwise fantastic film. It is so bad that non-Zeta Gundam fans might have a hard time seeing past it and enjoying the movie for what it is.
For those new to the Zeta Gundam series, approach with caution. The cuts between new and old animation can appear downright silly. Fortunately, if that can be endured, a story that is timelessly classic is here for your enjoyment in its most digestible form ever. But those that are sticklers for shiny animation and fantastic production values may find the cuts as too much to bear.
So the question remains, can this great movie overcome the massive handicap of its disastrous choice in the animation department? For a Zeta Gundam fan, the answer is absolutely yes. Fans of the original Zeta Gundam series need to see this movie. Some of the new animation could legitimately bring a tear to their eyes, and requisite familiarity with the original animation should make it much easier to handle. However, those familiar with the original series will be even more conscious of some of the shortcomings of this adaptation's story. That weakness, however, is nothing compared to the weakness of the animation which is far more likely to effect a casual viewer's enjoyment.
