Today’s quick review: Summer Wars. Kenji (Michael Sinterniklaas) gets more than he bargained for when Natsuki (Brina Palencia) invites him out to the country for a family gathering in honor of her great-grandmother Sakae (Pam Doughtery). Posing as her boyfriend, Kenji is introduced to her massive extended family. But the festivities are interrupted when a cyber attack on Oz, Japan’s virtual reality system, throws the country into chaos.
Summer Wars is a Japanese animated sci-fi adventure. Summer Wars takes place in two places simultaneously: the sprawling country estate of Sakae and her family, and Oz, a colorful virtual world responsible for Japan’s communication, commerce, and infrastructure. The movie follows Kenji as he gets to know Natsuki’s family and helps them deal with the attack on Oz. Bright visuals, vivid characters, and a charming plot make Summer Wars a fun watch.
Summer Wars relies on Oz for its plot and Sakae’s family for its heart, using Kenji, a shy teenager with a kind heart and a sharp mind, to tie the two of them together. The characters are full of life, a sprawling cast with distinct personalities and opinions but clear love for one another. The virtual world of Oz gives the film a unique visual style, as well as a high-stakes threat for the family to confront.
The fusion of the two halves of the movie is not perfect, but it does work well overall. The two halves belong to different genres and come with different logic and expectations, leading to a few rough spots where the worlds collide. But the strength of the characters lets Summer Wars handle the contradiction as gracefully as one could hope for. The result isn’t a masterpiece of either genre, but a surprisingly viable combination of the two.
Watch Summer Wars when you’re in the mood for a creative adventure with an optimistic tone and a good mixture of plot and adventure. Those who are hoping for a full sci-fi epic will find that the plot falls a little short, while those hoping for a more personal story will find the sci-fi part of the story distracting. But those willing to take Summer Wars in stride will find it to be a fun watch with plenty to offer.
For a more action-heavy virtual reality adventure, try Ready Player One. For another fantasy-tinged adventure from Japan, try Mirai, Paprika, or Your Name. For a live-action cyber thriller with a more focused plot, try WarGames.
7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for heart and creativity.