By Carla Longo

Over the summer, the abundance of free time and access to unlimited Wi-Fi led me to have a proper movie marathon. During this binge-watching period, I stumbled upon Alita: Battle Angel, a 2019 sci-fi film based on the homonymous manga by Yukito Kishiro. Although I was expecting easy entertainment, characterised by adrenaline-pumping scenes and stereotypical characters, I had to quickly change my mind. In fact, the film reveals an unexpected complexity, despite some flaws, and offers an interesting perspective on female representation in science fiction.

Director Robert Rodriguez is best known for being Quentin Tarantino's protégé and exponent of a crude and deliberately excessive style. However, this time he opted for a more subdued and less splattery cinematic approach. The action scenes in this film are indeed spectacular, but also extremely choreographed, making them uninvolved for some viewers. Despite the various criticisms from his admirers, I think that this choice is sensible for a film aimed at the general public and a fairly young audience; it does not detract from the film's dynamism.

The plot is simple enough: we are in the 26th century, in the Iron City, part of a distant universe where cyborgs and humans coexist. Here, Doctor Ido (Christoph Waltz), a genius scientist whom the costume designers decided to dress up as Indiana Jones, finds the remains of a young cyborg in a rubbish dump and decides to repair her and keep her with him. Our cyborg friend, Alita (Rose Salazar), awakens in an unfamiliar place, bereft of memories, but with astonishing fighting skills. Despite the confusing initial situation, she embarks on a long series of adventures involving a steampunk-eyed villain, a love story, the search for her own identity, and fights. Lots of fights.

In terms of plot, such a premise perhaps does not seem too exciting or different, yet I found one thing that so many similar films often lack: heart. The protagonist is the story’s absolute centre and she comes across as an extremely complex and alive character. The most refreshing characteristic is how Alita’s every emotion is portrayed without filters, even at the cost of making the viewer uncomfortable. The screenwriters are not afraid to show female rage, making Alita scream and smash objects in her fits of grief or frustration. I find this choice highly meaningful, especially in this period, where big production companies, driven by the desire for consensus, often create invincible and flawless female characters, believing they are giving girls the right role models.

The main issue lies in the fact that a perfect character is not only unnerving (any reference to Captain Marvel is purely coincidental) but also an unattainable ideal, in which it is impossible to mirror themselves. It is much healthier and more educational to provide examples of heroines capable of facing their difficulties despite their anger and desperation, growing as characters and as women.

Diving into the technical sphere, the extensive use of CGI on the protagonist has been largely criticized. Rose Salazar's appearance is in fact completely reconstructed, including every part of her face and her eyes, which are huge and deep, a tribute (considered awkward by some) to the drawing style of manga. Even if Alita appears quite 'fake' in some scenes, especially when surrounded by human characters, I do not think it is such a big problem, given the sci-fi context. I actually appreciated those disproportionate eyes, disturbing to many, but capable of containing a universe apart. I think that this aspect enhances the difference between Alita and the rest of the world, presenting her from the start as a mysterious and unique creature.

Unfortunately, the rest of the characters often appear shallow and one-dimensional, especially the villains, who are rather underwhelming as they seem nothing more than puppets in the hands of a higher entity. This is especially disappointing since the actors playing them (Jennifer Connely and Mahershala Ali) are both enormously talented, but the limited parts prevented them from showing their real potential.

Furthermore, there are also major flaws in the film’s rhythm. The events proceed in a frenetic manner, sacrificing various story elements and becoming a sort of collage that passes quickly from one scene to another. The story remains compelling, due to its continuous succession of action, but at the same time, some scenes lack impact. I therefore find the beauty of the film much more grounded in its characters and the suggestive atmosphere generated by the splendid soundtrack (Tom Holkenborg) and set design (Caylah Eddleblute and Steve Joyner), than in the plot.

Even if the film, having been conceived as the first in a series, ends with a cliffhanger that paves the way for numerous sequels, the low box-office sales and mixed critical reception doomed it to be a stand-alone production. The final question therefore is if Alita: Battle Angel is worth seeing. My answer is absolutely yes. It is true that the film has several flaws – and not minor ones – but overall it remains a majestic work, an idea developed over the course of twenty years and cared for down to the smallest detail, with an incredible respect for its source material.

It will be hard to forget Alita and her search for her own identity and place in the world. So what are you waiting for? It’s movie night time.

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