Movie Review: Lupin the IIIrd: The Immortal Bloodline

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent Lupin the III movie. 

This is the 12th animated feature film from this anime and manga franchise that has been around since 1967. With this in mind it is impressive just how good this movie is. This is not a film that is trying to break any new ground or make any sort of commentary. Instead, this is simply a fun action/adventure movie. As such it works incredibly well. Our heroes are just the type of lovable scoundrels that we have liked for so long. The movie never tries to play down that these aren't exactly moral people but still makes us like them regardless. Despite the film's shorter runtime each of our main characters gets a chance to shine, even if Lupin is clearly the main character. This movie also has a great sense of danger throughout. This is one of the few anime franchise films that truly keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is because the stakes are so high and the villain so powerful, that we can't figure out how our "heroes" could possibly make it out alive. Not only does the film create a sense of suspense but it also lives up to it. The conclusion is very intelligent and does not feel rushed or forced (as is the case in most films with very powerful villains). On top of all this the action scenes are excellent, and the animation is of a very high quality. 

This movie does have some problems though. The film starts with a fairly long recap. However, this is unnecessary as the storyline is simple enough for even someone who has never heard of Lupin the III to follow it perfectly without any recap. It feels as if this recap was simply a way of making what was a very short feature length movie to a runtime that goes over an hour and a half. I also felt the villain's design was distracting as he was done in a different art style than our other characters. Also trying to make it seem like this episodic franchise was all leading up to this story can feel a little forced at times.

Overall, this is a worthy addition to this beloved franchise.