Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007)

[ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版: 序]

Director: Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki
Starring: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Kotono Mitsuishi

Synopsis:
A boy is summoned by his estranged father to serve as humanity's last hope fighting the alien menace known as the Angels.

Impressions:
The Rebuild of Evangelion series was promised as franchise creator Hideaki Anno's true vision, unburdened by the budgetary limitations that hobbled the original series. For the most part, this first film is a shot-for-shot remake of the first six episodes of the TV series with a number of comparatively minor cuts, additions and rearrangements that will probably only concern the most die-hard Eva fans. I'll admit that the bigger budget makes for more of a visual treat, especially when I saw it in theaters on release. The film's climax with Operation Yashima is particularly impressive on all fronts (visual, music, drama) and it alone is worth the price of admission. However, I'm not a big fan of the changes made, particularly the rearrangement of how the events of the Sachiel fight are presented (which was a complaint I had about the manga as well) and the early reveal of Lilith. I also feel the pacing is hurt by the shorter runtime. If I had to pick between the two, I'd favor the TV series, but I still think this film is worth a watch for novelty's sake if nothing else.

Rating:
Watch It