Today’s quick review: A Wind Named Amnesia. A global event wipes the memories of everyone on Earth, causing civilization to collapse and reducing the survivors to animalistic behavior. Wataru (Adam Henderson), a survivor who was able to re-learn some of what he forgot, sets out across America to pass along his knowledge to anyone who will listen. He’s accompanied on his journey by Sophia (Denica Fairman), an enigmatic woman with her own plans.
A Wind Named Amnesia is a Japanese animated sci-fi movie set in the aftermath of an inexplicable calamity. The movie follows Wataru and Sophia across what’s left of the United States as Wataru searches for survivors who are willing to learn. A Wind Named Amnesia aims to be a reflection on humanity, progress, and what would happen if the slate were wiped clean. However, its loose story and shallow commentary leave something to be desired.
A Wind Named Amnesia does little to capitalize on its promising setup. The story is a loose series of episodes where Wataru and Sophie encounter the scattered survivors of the calamity, most of them ignorant, feral, and unreceptive to Wataru’s teachings. Wataru is a weak protagonist, an idealist who puts almost no thought into how to rebuild civilization. As a result, his journey comes across as naive and hopeless rather than inspiring.
A Wind Named Amnesia also strikes out with its commentary. The ruined world Wataru sees is less a testament to the folly of mankind and more a result of wiping out all of human progress in a single day. As such, the points the movie tries to make feel arbitrary. Instead of saying something general about the human condition, they are limited to bizarre hypotheticals involving mass amnesia, psychics, and a single road trip across the United States.
Fans of philosophical science fiction many want to give A Wind Named Amnesia a try. Its premise makes for an interesting thought experiment, and it is handled competently enough to be worth a watch for an interested viewer. But in general, the movie misplays its hand, undermining its speculative value with contrived scenarios and its emotional impact with an aimless story. Casual viewers may want to steer clear.
For a more successful movie about restoring hope to a post-apocalyptic world, try The Book of Eli or Children of Men. For a bleaker story set in a similarly desolate world, try The Road.
[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108570/). I give it a 6.0 for an interesting setup whose execution misses the mark.