My disinterest in anime is paramount to my limited knowledge of the genre. Outside of Studio Ghibli, I can’t say I’ve seen all that much. I don’t think Yu-Gi-Oh counts either, since nobody is holding that show up as one of the all-time greats. Either way, my adamant need for education in just about any film I can get my hands on has brought me further and further into the clutches of Japanese animation. Redline is the latest to grab my attention, a stylish action film set on the red line, a racetrack the toughest racers look to follow.
The further Redline progresses, the more it feels like a Japanese rendition of Wacky Races. Being a fan of such a show sure helped, and for the most part, Redline is an extremely good looking, high-octane piece of film. With such an incredible opening, my hopes were shot catastrophically high for the rest of the film. It’s not all cool car chases and explosions though, there are of course moments that feel a tad out of place. The plot staggers on rather well, and under the incredible direction of Takeshi Koike, it’s hard not to be impressed by at least some aspects of his framing.
Redline threw me into a world I knew nothing of, and with no backstory really in sight, it’s rather impressive as to how easy it is to invest in the plot. The villains and politics of the various worlds are moderately interesting, but could really have done with some more time to flesh itself out. It’s all pretty forgettable, but the main plot of car racing manages to salvage it for the most part. There are aspects of the film that feel like they’re a complete waste of time, or just sorely out of place for what the film wishes to present. On the other hand, there are of course more than our fair share of engaging and entertaining scenes. The balance between throwaway comedy and solid storytelling is clear to see and monumentally easy to praise.
There’s a clear lull in content that occurs about halfway through Redline. It goes from being an intense science fiction, fast-paced racing show to a meandering character-based drama, with the racing taking a backseat to poor supporting character development. It all links with that lack of build-up, at first rather interesting considering how big a universe this is and how easy it is to get lost within it, but there’s always a tether on reality. We’re never able to escape conventional storytelling moments, even if it doesn’t feel like it’s all that interesting or necessary.
Some of the best music I’ve heard utilised in a film in such a very long time, expeditious beats to fall in line with the gorgeous animation style and incredible, fast-paced atmosphere this can create. Exceptionally beautiful visuals combined with interesting designs and formidable characters make for a truly fun time. A frankly amazing first half hour begins to trickle down into a rather generic story of romance, good deeds and predictable storytelling. It’s a shame, because Redline is well worth the watch, even with these drastic restraints holding it back from fulfilling its real potential.
