Plot: The Demon Slayer Corps get plunged into the Infinity Castle, where Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the Hashira face terrifying Upper Rank demons in a desperate fight as the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji begins.
Review: Blissful Ignorance Breathing, Seventh Form! Allow me to explain. Before watching Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, I’d only seen the first episode of the core series. While this leaves me at an insane disadvantage, considering the positioning of this new story, it also provides me with a unique perspective. Does Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle work for someone going in blind? To my astonishment, the answer is yes. Hell yes!
There’s nothing quite as confounding and entertaining as being dropped into the middle of an Avengers: Infinity War-style story arc with next to no frame of reference as to why everyone is fighting. Thankfully, Infinity Castle has so much good stuff going on that I didn’t mind embracing the unknown for much of the film. To its credit, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle made me want to go back to the beginning and experience the story from the start. Isn’t that the filmmaker’s hope when concerned about a virgin audience?
In this new, box-office-breaking anime, directors Haruo Sotozaki and Hikaru Kondô plunge the Demon Slayer Corps into the Infinity Castle, where Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the Hashira face terrifying Upper Rank demons in a desperate fight as the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji begins.
Thanks to the talented team at Ufotable, the film immediately establishes itself as a visual marvel. The marriage of 2D hand-drawn digital animation and pure CGI elements is flawlessly rendered and visually striking. The combat sequences are kinetic, flashy, drop-dead gorgeous, and filled with flourish and surprise. The film begins with our cast cascading down some of the Infinity Castle. This MC Escher-style kingdom is a cross between Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves novel, and Vincenzo Natali’s sci-fi cult classic Cube.
Throughout the film, we join different characters on their respective missions, whether out for revenge, honor, love, or power; most narratives are entertaining and emotional yarns that break up the action with a healthy dose of drama. As I’d said, not every thread is fun to pull on. Shinobu Kochō’s story is by far my favorite of the bunch. As a warrior out to avenge the death of her older sister, Shinobu matches moves with Doma, a charismatic and nihilistic Upper Rank 2 demon who loves to chew the flesh of his enemies as well as the scenery. I felt rapt by this duo’s scenes, and their tit-for-tat battle was vastly entertaining.
Having limited exposure to Demon Slayer, I was unprepared for how visually arresting the film would become, particularly during intense battles. I dig everything about the franchise’s look, from the character designs to the various fighting styles and the painterly look of the named attacks. Many of the effects remind me of flowing ink, like an alive tattoo or calligraphy with a pulse. The battle sequences and overall look of the Infinite City alone made the film worth my time.
I enjoyed the film despite being dropped into a story with no real beginning, middle, or end. By the end, I was invested in the characters and impressed with the world-building, and I wanted to watch more. By that, I mean to go back to the beginning and experience the whole shootin’ match. I want to see what led to this conflict and how the group ended up at the Infinite Castle, as well as better understand the relationship dynamics.
While the film does a decent to excellent job of filling in some story gaps, it often encounters pacing issues. As much as I enjoyed Akaza’s backstory, his compelling narrative slowed the film’s climax to a crawl. I could feel time warping around me, making a 2 1/2 hour movie feel like infinity. As much as I genuinely wanted to experience that story, there could have been a more succinct way to execute its delivery. Then again, what do I know? I’m sure there are droves of fans that’ve been dying to see that aspect of the character unfold.
Look, as a Demon Slayer n00b, I won’t be able to give you a hardcore analysis of Infinity Castle‘s events. There’s too much going on. There were cool characters I met during the opening credits that I never saw again until the end credits. Who the hell are they? When do we get to see their time in the Infinity Castle? How many years do we have to wait until the story continues? I have questions.
Speaking of questions: Where is the soundtrack to this movie? I’m not trying to be cute or rude. I don’t recall any music except for a single stand-out track that plays while Tanjiro Kamado, Giyu Tomikoa, and Akaza prepare for an exhaustive (but excellent) battle. Was I paying attention? Of course. The soundtrack is not too memorable, nor did it stand out, which is a shame because a movie as bombastic as this deserves a kick ass set of songs to amp up the action and drama.
Ultimately, I think Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle is a wild ride and a shining example of how a feature presentation of a series’ story arc can elevate its overall appeal. The highest compliment I can pay a movie-watching experience like Infinity Castle is that I’m hooked. I now see the appeal of this manga and anime property in passing, at the mall, and dominating the t-shirt rack at our local Spencer’s Gifts and Hot Topic. I’m one of you now. I want to watch and learn more. Let’s f@&king go!
Source:
JoBlo.com
