Alita Battle Angel

Alita – Battle Angel 2019

• Director: Robert Rodriguez
• Also seen by this director: Once Upon a Time in Mexico
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Keean Johnson, Idara Victor
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Rosa Salazar – Maze Runner et al
• Christoph Waltz – Spectre, The Zero Theorem, Carnage, Inglourious Basterds
• Jennifer Connelly – Winter’s Tale, Creation, He’s Just Not That Into You, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Blood Diamond, Little Children, The House of Sand and Fog, A Beautiful Mind, Pollock, Requiem for a Dream, Labyrinth
• Mahershala Ali – The Hunger Games Mockingjay 1&2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Why? It sounded fun
• Seen: 24 July 2020      

       Hundreds of years in the future, after the fall, the cyborg robot Alita (Salazar) is found torn apart but alive in the city ruins. She is beautifully and lovingly reconstructed by a doctor with secrets (Waltz). She’s perfectly healthy but has no memory. She sets out to learn about the complex city and society that remains after the fall. She loves it but dangers lurk everywhere.

       I have no pre-conceived notions of the film, I have no idea what it’s about, but I’m enthralled from the start. The story is decent, the special effects are fantastic and Salazar as the semi-animated loveable killing machine Alita is delightful.

       It’s exciting too. Talk about girl power. A bit soapy but it’s a sweet cyborg film. It ends in a cliff hanger though so a sequel must be coming. I hope so.

4 * of 5