Today’s quick review: Fullmetal Alchemist. Disfigured in a transmutation gone wrong, alchemist prodigy Edward Elric (Ryosuke Yamada) and his brother Alphonse (Atom Mizuishi) search for the Philosopher’s Stone, a mythical artifact capable of restoring their bodies. But as the brothers reveal the darkest secrets of alchemy, Edward must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice to make up for his past mistakes.
Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese fantasy movie based on the manga series of the same name. Fullmetal Alchemsit takes place in a world where alchemy allows the instantaneous transmutation of objects and materials. The source material gives the movie plenty to work with, and Fullmetal Alchemist does an admirable job of condensing a complex story into just over two hours. But even so, the film only lives up to a fraction of its full potential.
From a story perspective, Fullmetal Alchemist holds its own. The story is packed with potent ideas about progress and sacrifice, as well as a healthy dose of alchemy-fueled action. Not every concept is explored in its entirety, but what’s there is enough to fill out an engaging and multifacted story. However, the story does require a willing audience: a skeptical viewer will be turned off by its eclectic subplots and often clumsy writing.
Where Fullmetal Alchemist runs into issues is its production quality. The CGI works well for a few scenes, but its limitations soon become apparent as the movie goes on. The costumes are artificial and distracting, although the designs work well on paper. The acting from the cast is enthusiastic but uneven. The film also has less action than it first appears, although it makes up for this with lots of character interaction and a busy plot.
Fullmetal Alchemist has other qualities that are either endearing or disappointing, depending on your taste. The film’s attempts to translate manga-style humor into live-action are often awkward, but they give the movie a sense of fun and optimism that helps it through its darker parts. It also tones down the gut-wrenching horror of the original, resulting in a more palatable watch that still has a bit of bite.
Try out Fullmetal Alchemist when you’re in a forgiving mood. Taken with a grain of salt, it’s a unique fantasy adventure with good ideas, likable characters, and a nice blend of gravity and levity. Taken too seriously, it’s a jumbled movie with splotchy craftsmanship and nowhere near the polish of a big-budget title. Which category it falls into depends on your taste, your temperament as a viewer, and your exposure to the other verions of the story.
5.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for interesting ideas and mixed execution.