Story/Plot - 7 The Golgo 13 film offers a simple yet entertaining story with a plot that unfolds very nicely. Duke Togou is a legendary assassin who kills Robert Dawson, the son of a very wealthy man named Leonard Dawson. Leonard now seeks revenge and is filled with a burning desire to have Duke dead at all costs. Simple, but it has details that make it interesting and make it work very well. The pacing is also really fast, a lot happens within a short time span, yet the film never feels rushed.
Characters - 7 I'm going to be frank here. Duke Togou is a tad bit boring as a character, and we know nothing about him. No background, no motivation, hell, we don't even know basic things like what his likes and dislikes are. And according to some people, the manga doesn't give us this information either. However, there's something about him that gives him this certain edge. Despite the lack of information, he's still badass. Maybe it's his cool, stoic nature?
I think that the driving factor in terms of characters in this film actually resides in the main antagonist, Leonard Dawson. His blind rage over the death of his son overrides everything that is important to him and his wrath pushes him to traverse into heinousness and make desperate attempts to kill Duke that are both morally and legally wrong. Even he comes to realize this. I personally think of him as one of the better antagonists in anime.
Visuals - 9 The film truly shines in this regard. Apart from looking fantastic, the visuals are some of the most innovative you'll ever come across in the medium. There are a ton of techniques and ideas used here, such as the first implementation of CGI ever used in anime (I think), the postcard technique where animation transitions into stills, and the staggering number of things they do with the lighting. The film came off as rather experimental.
Audio: 7.5 The music in this film is really damn good and does a great job at setting the mood and atmosphere while standing out (although there are a few scenes that don't mix very well); with its soundtrack comprising of rock, pop, and jazz, it stands out as unique.
Overall: This is a very fun and entertaining action film with some of the coolest and cutting-edge visuals you'll ever find. Simple plot, but filled with tons of awesome stuff and excellent execution!
O Score: 7.25/10
S Score: 9/10
Final Score: 8.125/10 rounded to 8/10 for MAL score.
