Knights of the Zodiac (2023)

Good Action Bad Writing

LIKES:
Sets and location selection.
Music/sounds were fitting and never overpowered the actors/actresses.
Wardrobe for the most part was good (see dislikes for clarification).
Hair and makeup was good.
FX: certain aspects were well done, (see dislikes for the bad parts). I loved the opening sequence of showing the golden armour.
Fight sequences were performed well, some parts reminded me of Mortal Kombat and video games. Mark Dacascos was a standout as usual and same with Mackenyu.

DISLIKES:
FX:
CGI was very noticeable, especially in the car sequences and flying machine parts. Digital effects weren’t as spectacular as I had hoped and expected of a 2023 movie.
Wardrobe: the armour of the Knights (Mackenyu & Diego Tinoco) looked very cheesy, as if there was no budget left for that. Same with the bad guy minion armour; like it’s a rip off or recycled from Robocop or some other show.
Production:
Choppy editing, colour palette for the bad guys very muted and same with the Knights, only giving us colour variations for their Energy force aka Cosmos.
Wardrobe:
the Knight’s armour was laughably bad;
Writing:
The movie expects everyone knows the background information (from the manga or anime). I do, but others would be lost if they don’t. The movie skips over a lot of important details for Seiya, even though they tried putting it into his past memories. Without that foundation, I don’t know if sequels will be made, unless they backtrack to develop it all better. Also Guaad’s second in command (Diego Tinoco)’s backstory is left out completely.
I missed the depth given about Greek myths and destiny like we got in the anime, because it was very downplayed and the impact wasn’t there. Even the connection between Athena and her Knights or Sienna and Seiya, was under delivered. This wasn’t due to bad acting, but bad script.
They created a plot using ideas from the 2019 Netflix CGI/animation show, not the original manga.

OVERALL:
Reminds me of the recent failed attempts at film makers have had while making live action from manga or anime stories (Full Metal Alchemist, Devilman, Dragon Ball: Evolution, Attack On Titan, Black Buttler, etc). It’s an okay watch and the cast did the best they could with what was given. The story is a little too complex to tell within the time frame of a movie, it would’ve been better as a TV series. As a fan of Mackenyu I thank him and the director for giving us enough of his visual appeal. He obviously worked hard in a gym to get to that point. Fans of the original 1980s anime, might be disappointed. I recommend it for the fights, but not if you expect a well executed plot. I don't need to watch it again.





************SPOILER ALERT************************


Felt like they ripped off the Wolverine moment when he goes to save Gene Grey, to show Seiya coming to save Sienna.

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poor story & dialogues

what to say …. this movie was such a disappointment! I wanted to live this movie as knights of the zodiac was a big part of my childhood. Mark Dacascos & Mackenyu were well casted but can’t say the same for the rest of the cast. Costumes don’t make justice to the anime at all and the special effects are low quality and we don’t realize the power nor the increase of power of Pegasus.

Now, the plot … they massacred the story. It doesnt make sense, they tried to summarize so many things and missed the whole point of the knights of the zodiac purpose. I don’t know if they tried to copy marvel sense of humour, but this whole “I’m a goddess” jokes weren’t funny and rather made the character of Athena look like a pretentious little girl.

This was a miss. I hope that if they continue the serie, the director & script writer will change. Otherwise, it will be a waste of time & money and will also stain actors credibility.

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Good action but underdeveloped story

I know nothing of what this is based on, I watched it because I'm quickly becoming a fan of Mackenyu so no regrets on that front. I wish every Japanese live action movie had this level of VFX, which was decent (and loads better than FMA, for instance), and fighting choreography - not necessarily *that* quick a pace, because it does hamper the credibility, but the realness of it – minus the blood/bruises. (Feed us whump damn it! Yes I know it’s PG-13 but like… bloody noses??)

Liked:
- the opening, it's very Wonder Woman in its slow mo god action
- Mackenyu, literally star of the show (he is Very Pretty)
- the action, as mentioned, it doesn't have that fake layer that often cuts short my immersion in Japanese productions
- most of the cast: lol, hello Boromir (we knew Sean Bean was gonna Sean Bean right?), hello Wo Fat and Dr Jean Grey
- knights had their magical girl transformation moments lol (feels very Power Rangers and other Japanese superhero shows I don't watch but entertaining ish)

Disliked:
- plot/story, very little explanation of the world, the powers, background for most of anything
*which later has me !?!?! about Seiya not being covered in bruises or injured at all despite his numerous beatings, was it ever explained Cosmo can, idk, HEAL!? (Except for when Guraad steals it by murdering kids, I guess)
- dialogue, it's cheesy/cliche/not very inventive 95% of the time though it has some quips that, even though predictable, were enjoyable, the rest of the time it's meant as info dumping/relating but not very artfully done
- the set up for romance, just because people touch an item at the same time doesn't mean they fall in love ok?? I'm glad it didn't happen but I fear that if a sequel were to follow, it would, and it's unnecessary
- costumes, like breast-shaped armor? Really? ? Doesn't actually work then but FINE, if it's the ~only~ way we know Marin's a woman, er mah gerd. Similarly, the knights' armors were. Ehh. Low budget detail work I guess, what I've come to expect in CGI heavy productions
- some casting choices, I guess? Idk what it was about Sienna that had me :/ but ehh. Also these names... idk man, for Guraad I wouldn't expect a very white looking person? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Nero's voice, why are you talking Like That?? And a few others who keep to that low register, unnecessary~~ y'all not Batman
- lack of time with characters not Seiya, it just made it very hard to believe his reactions:
*assuring Sienna she wouldn't destroy the world because he "just knows" like, my dude, you've literally spent less than 48hrs with her??
* "I let her get taken. I failed." Sorry, it was never all that cleared you were fully, 1000% on board with protecting/guarding her?? Just that you had her back, maybe!?
* lol when Nero says "that's not your friend anymore" idk dude, they were BARELY FRIENDS?? Ahem.

Smaller pet peeves:
- escape the mansion with Seiya to go talk on... a pier?? Okayyyy, forget that there were literally armed guards there and presumably other safety measures to stop her leaving the mansion? No? RHOKAY, I know they just needed to not be at the mansion for the villain arrival but, eh
- why are the guards wearing sunglasses indoors (in the DARK)?? Are they Special sunglasses?? Y'all were gonna get your asses kicked anyway
- hah, of course everything gets blown to smithereens except Guraad, who has neither strength nor ability to hold herself in place like Seiya (Nero has, miraculously vanished, but hey at least he lost his shirt too!), make it make sense

If you want a decent movie with a solid plot, don't watch this. Do skip through this for Mackenyu's action scenes, but otherwise, give it a pass and watch something better.

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This was not good! I really wanted to like this. I'm glad I didn't pay to see this at the theater earlier this year. I have not seen the anime or read the manga so I didn't know the story before hand but this plot was a mess and incoherent. It also felt incomplete, which may have been b/c they planned for sequels!

The CGI is terrible too. Lately, I feel like new CGI is worse than old CGI. IMO old CGI was more seamless now it just looks cartoonish. This is very visible in the fight between Saiya and Nero. Mackenyu is really the only reason I watched and he can't save this stupid plot or make it interesting enough to stick around for a sequel!

11/19/23

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