Garm Wars: The Last Druid (2014)

Director: Mamoru Oshii
Starring: Lance Henriksen, Kevin Durand, Melanie St-Pierre

Synopsis:
In a ruined world where the three surviving clans fight each other to the point of extinction, unlikely companions go on a pilgrimage to uncover the truth behind everything.

Impressions:
When I saw this movie was directed by Mamoru Oshii, I knew I wanted to give it a shot. Even knowing nothing beforehand, I approached it cautiously, fearing it wouldn't actually be much good. Turns out I was right. Credit where credit's due, there are some good things going on with the aesthetics and the setting has potential, but that's about it. The CG is okay but barely rates as feature grade and often meshes poorly with live action elements. The story is rather opaque with a lot of background either locked away from the viewer or bootstrapped in with clunky exposition. You aren't likely to connect with the characters, the acting tends to be stiff at best and the dialog flows about as smoothly as chunky peanut butter. By the time the movie's over, you'll wonder what exactly what was accomplished. Rather than a standalone feature, it feels more like FMVs of a video game stitched together and all we got was Disc One. You might be able to draw some inspiration from it, but temper your expectations. Most people will probably just want to pass on it.

Rating:
50/50