Written by: Samuel K. Sloan (FarPoint Media Executive News Director)

“The animation is par excellence’ and takes a back seat to no one. The script is compelling enough and the English voice dubbing is adequate..”

The other day I was sent the DVD copy of the film “Appleseed ExMachina” to look at and review.

The film is an animated feature that takes the art of Japanese manga to the next level and I was thoroughly entertained for 90 minutes.

However, as I was sitting there watching this feature I had the distinct feeling I had been there and seen most of what was on the screen before. “Appleseed” is its own unique mixture of the series creator Shirow Masamune’s “Ghost in the Shell,” with some elements from “DOOM,” the “Matrix” trilogy, a touch of “Dune” and a dab of “The Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.”

I’m not complaining mind you, because I have enjoyed every one of those entries on different levels, but it did feel like I was treading on familiar ground.

The story of “Appleseed ExMachina” takes place in the year AD 2133, a time when humankind has risen from the ashes of worldwide non-nuclear disaster and from the ruins has arisen the mighty, and wonderous city-state of Olympus. Watching over the citizens and keeping them safe is an elite force of police-soldiers that are a creation of robotic humanoids, or Bioroids, with enhanced capabilities. They comprise the force known as ESwat Special Forces.

Every Eden story must have its serpent and Olympus is no exception. There are cybernetic “devils” out to destroy its calm, order and beauty and it is up to ESwat and the film’s protagonists Deunan, Briareos and Tereus to maintain order and keep Olympus from plunging into the ancient days of chaos and darkness.

Based on the popular Japanese manga series by Shirow Masamune (Seishinsha), John Woo and Shinji Aramaki remarkably merge their talents into one pervading force to create this futuristic thriller that many should find, fun interesing and very entertaining.

The animation is par excellence’ and takes a back seat to no one. The script is compelling enough and the English voice dubbing is adequate, although I would have preferred they left the original Japanese actors do their parts and used subtitles. However, with all the action constantly taking place on the screen, I can see where that may have become a distraction.

“Appleseed ExMachina” is a very good movie and one that I recommend to every one who enjoys good animation with an action-packed script.

On the Slice of SciFi scale of 0 to 5 stars I give “Appleseed ExMachina”