Today’s quick review: Paprika. Chiba Atsuko works at a lab that specializes in dream therapy, where she uses a device called the D.C. Mini to explore and record the dreams of her patients. When three of the machines go missing, Chiba, her director Shima, the device’s inventor Tokita, and her dream persona Paprika must work together to recover the D.C. Minis before they can be used to break down the barriers between dreaming and reality.
Paprika is a surreal Japanese fantasy film with a creative premise and breathtaking visuals. Done in colorful animation, Paprika is a flight of fancy that explores the consequences of being able to visit dreams. Chiba’s investigation takes her into the world of her missing colleague Homura, a twisted dream where the mind can become trapped. Only with the help of Paprika can she track down the missing machines and repair the damage that has been done.
Paprika balances its tone between a dreamlike sense of wonder and a nightmarish sense of unrest. The visuals of the dream world are as fantastic as they are unreal, bordering on horror at their most extreme. But the movie is aware of this risk, playing up its darker elements only when tension is needed, then backing off to keep the tone light. Throughout it all Paprika, Chiba’s perky alter ego, keeps the movie grounded and provides a constant ray of hope.
Suitably for a film about dreams, Paprika deals with themes of subconscious desire and repression. The cast are flawed in ways that manifest in their dreams, from Tokita’s inability to grow up to Chiba’s over-reliance on Paprika to solve her problems. These themes are handled tastefully, with respect for the characters, their flaws, and their motivations. The character subplots buttress the main story and help give the film variety and thematic depth.
Paprika’s fantastic nature does have its drawbacks. In general the dream logic makes sense, capturing the nature of the conflict without having to adhere to an explicit set of rules, but the arbitrary nature of the dream hurts the film’s sense of consistency. The psychedelic imagery will be a turnoff for most viewers, and the movie’s dalliances with horror are enough to partially justify the viewer’s unease.
At the same time, Paprika is a beautiful film for those who brave its strangeness. The animation style is polished at its worst and absolutely gorgeous at its best. The film’s unusual electronic soundtrack sets the tone perfectly. Paprika herself is an excellent character, competent, cheerful, and more at home in the dream world than anyone else, while the other characters are deeper and more interesting than they first appear.
Watch Paprika if you are open to a surreal but beautiful fantasy adventure. Good characters, excellent visuals, and a fair bit of action make Paprika a treat to watch, but they come with a strangeness that many will find off-putting. Those looking for a tight plot, a conventional experience, or a fantasy untouched by darkness should look elsewhere.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for astounding visuals and sheer creativity.