If anything, the film takes itself a bit too seriously. This over-dramatic base makes many of the scenes that are meant to be emotionally resonant feeling cold and clinical. To that end, I felt as if I was being kept at a distance rather than being invited into the created world.

As distanced and confused as I was, there is no denying that the movie takes you on a trip through some gorgeous designs. Casshern was shot almost exclusively in a digital backlot, not unlike 300 and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Some of the effects are not exactly up to snuff compared to what we are used to, but they are done with such energy and conviction that it is hard not to allow them a little bit of slack in this department.

Casshern is very much like an anime film brought to life (the story did begin as a 35 episode anime series in the 1970s). The action is over the top, almost to the level of being cartoony, but in a good way. One of the best sequences involves Casshern taking on the robot armies of the Neo-Sapiens; it throws you right into the battle.

As directed, written, and edited by Kazuaki Kiriya, Casshern has a lyrical, almost poetic, flow. The camera swirls, the sets are bathed in shadows, music is constantly swelling, and we are thrust into the midst of this digital world. Even when I could not quite tell what was happening, it was a marvel to experience.

Audio/Video. The DreamWorks DVD looks and sounds very good. There is plenty of detail hidden in the shadows, the color separation is strong, and there are no defects that I could detect. The 5.1 audio track is also strong with nothing to complain about. The only thing I did not like were the ugly player-generated subtitles which could not be turned off. I would have much rather had burned in subs, or at least the ones that not player-generated.

Extras. Nothing. Not even a trailer for the film. This is a film that would have benefitted greatly from some bonus material. Perhaps a making of featurette, or something on the effects or the acting? A commentary would have been most welcome, but there is nothing else here.

Bottom line. An interesting exercise in eye candy with an anti-war message that at times becomes too wrapped up in its own seriousness to become truly great. Nevertheless, Casshern is an entertaining film and a highly ambitious project that tries very hard to reach lofty goals.

Mildly Recommended.