The storyline is generic. You get a boy genius, family conflict (involving 3 generations), actual conflict with steam punk technology, and off we go on our journey where it's up to our boy genius to save the day! It serves the film fine, but it's nothing I haven't seen before. Good not great. The art is wonderful and it puts you right in the middle of 1890s England with the coal smoke, the buildings, the trains, and then kicks it up a notch with some of that neat weird science that goes along with the steam punk genre. But, nothing I saw wowed me. Generic coolness. Good not great.
The sound effects are really good and the soundtrack by Steve Jablonsky (famous for the "Transformers" films amongst other things) is one of the better ones to grace an Anime film. Sub vs. Dub? Because it takes place in England it makes more sense to watch it in English and when you add three mainstream actors like Alfred Molina, Patrick Stewart, and Academy Award winner Anna Paquin in the lead, it makes it a no-contest in favor of the English cast. Dr. Octopus, Professor X, and Rogue? How cool is that?!?! But, having them play pretty generic characters like a boy genius, like a mad scientist, like the old man warning against the dangers of certain applications of technology, makes it a waste of their talent. Good not great.
Outstanding cast and director aside, it's an above average Anime film. The visuals give us some cool moments. The story does move well. But, with so much going for it, you expect a lot more than what you end up with. I had a lot of fun watching this, but I expected a lot more. Once again and finally, good not great. Cheers!
