Šingeki no kjodžin

In the end, it's not as bad as all the expert Japanese reviewers declare it to be. Just a dirty fantasy anti-utopian brawler with effects that a poor Japanese budget could manage. What I like about the film, compared to the manga and anime, is how beautifully all the squalor and filth comes through – literally. There's no point at all in comparing what's different from the subject matter and what's missing, because it's logical that it would be different; you just can't cram everything that all Titans fans love so much into two movies (hello Levi). Still, I felt like the story wasn't the strongest point in this first film. It seemed rather uneven to me, we'll see what the second installment brings. As for the acting, I basically have nothing to complain about except Haruma portraying Eren. His portrayal of certain emotions just doesn't sit well with me at all, and it's either me or he's just not a very good actor. On the other hand, I'd have to agree with everyone else – Ishihara Satomi was the best, she must have enjoyed the hell out of the role because she probably won't get a character like that again in her acting career; what a shame! Oh, and special praise from me goes to the ending song, which doesn't really fit the film, but I played it about ten times in a row. I'm curious to see how they handle what they've started in the second film. I hope to find out soon. Too bad it didn't run in theaters here, it deserves the silver screen. (2015.08.17)

When I found out that this is outside, I was very excited because I quite enjoy this manga, even though it has its flaws. It's a shame that the filmmakers decided mainly for an action-packed ride, which is visually stunning. I absolutely loved how they managed to digitally transform the manga giants onto the screen. They look great and stay true to the originals. (2015.08.24)

I could not resist, and even though I am not a fan of the original anime series, I could not miss the movie adaptation of Attack on Titan, which I have to say was pretty good. I think the setting and the atmosphere are great. The grime, the oppression, and the despair make for a cool environment. I also quite liked some of the the cast. I am surprised that Mikasa was probably my favorite. In the original anime series, she struck me as the personality with the biggest "balls" in this movie, she seemed really feminine and quite pleasant, and I could quite understand what Eren saw in her. Hans, the jerky scientist, had a believable passion, and even the greedy Sasha seemed pretty cool. I liked Shikishima the most from the guys, and while he is not in the original narrative (or I cannot remember him), I found his role mysterious and intriguing in this movie. He was fascinating. I was not so annoyed by Eren and Armin, and that alone is a huge accomplishment. It is a huge shame that some of the other characters like Erwin and Levi were not a part of the movie's plot. Titans were weaker somehow; they were not as scary as they should have, and except maybe the big one who broke the wall and Eren in his "better form" made me more amused than scared by the way they looked. One of the reviews on FilmBooster says, "...they seemed like laughing madmen," and I can second that. I found the soundtrack quite acceptable, although what I found quite weak was the narrative itself. It was drastically altered and cut down, so a lot of the more mysterious and interesting aspects disappeared. However, the basic skeleton remained. So, in other words, I guess I am again not going to know what is in Eren's basement, even though why he sometimes has this unpleasant business of transforming into his "more interesting self" may become apparent. As far as the effects are concerned, some were poor, and some were very weak. However, I will certainly not criticize the anime's creators for that, as they only had a limited budget, meaning they did not have the same budget as Hollywood studios could afford. My final impression of this movie is not bad. However, I cannot see it being awarded more than 5,5/10, although I am certainly going to watch the follow-up to Part 1. (2015.08.17)