Review: 'Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale' creatively updates its premise
Secret ending? Yes.
Running time: 119 minutes (~2 hours)
“Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” is a Japanese science fiction 2D animated movie from the “Sword Art Online” franchise.
The film follows the rise of a new game called Ordinal Scale which is played by the survivors from Sword Art Online game. But when several elements from Sword Art Online start appearing in Ordinal Scale, the players must discover what the truth behind this new game is.
“Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” is directed by Tomohiko Ito, with a screenplay by Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Ito. It features the voice talents of Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Kirito), Haruka Tomatsu (Asuna), Ayana Taketatsu (Leafa), Kanae Ito (Yui), Rina Hidaka (Silica), Ayahi Takagaki (Lisbeth), Miyuki Sawashiro (Sinon), Hiroaki Hirata (Klein), Hiroki Yasumoto (Agil), Sayaka Kanda (Yuna), Yoshio Inoue (Eiji), and Takeshi Kaga (Dr Shigemura). It is rated PG.
The “Sword Art Online” fandom in Singapore is one of the most dedicated I’ve ever seen. I caught this in theatres after it was released (rather than at a preview screening) and I was stunned by the enthusiasm and loyalty of the audiences here. There were small cheers and dramatic gasps all throughout the movie from the fans watching the film, and the absolute bliss in being able to catch the theatrical release was palpable. Which makes it such a pity that there was a leak of the film that was traced to Malaysia or Singapore. Of all the anime fandoms in Singapore, the “Sword Art Online” is the most supportive and cheerful one by far.
Highlights
Creative updates of technological premise
I never thought the day would come when I’d have to say that VR (virtual reality) is getting outdated. Certainly, it’s one of the greatest innovations of mankind. But given that there haven’t been groundbreaking advances recently, VR is becoming a bit of a stale topic. AR (augmented reality), on the other hand, has seen a tremendous upsurge in popularity, given Pokemon Go’s recent fame. “Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” makes clever use of pop trends and makes the titular Ordinal Scale (the fictional game in the movie) an AR game, all while making tongue-in-cheek comments about how AR is actually a step back from VR, despite its greater popularity.
Good action
The action scenes start off in a pretty low-key manner, but quickly ramp up as the fights intensify in frequency and lethality. As the movie explains at the beginning, moving in AR is very different from moving in VR, since real life exertion is different from controlling game characters. However, that limitation soon disappears by the film’s climax, which sees the characters duking it out with the skill and power that befits high-level characters.
Doesn’t require prior knowledge of the anime
It’s rare to watch an animated film where watching the series itself isn’t mandatory, but “Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” is one of those films. Of course, understanding all the references and cameos from the original anime series will aid in your enjoyment of the movie. However, just enough exposition is provided so that you understand the premise of the series and what has come before, without bogging you down with too many unnecessary details.
Letdowns
Pacing is irregular
While the fights are good and the revelations are placed at strategic points throughout the film, the pacing dips at certain points in the film. It descends into sleepy scenes where characters ramble indefinitely at times in an attempt to be insightful and artistic. Those scenes fail to achieve their intended impact, and this unfortunately results in occasional starts and stops that hurt the pacing of the film.
Plot is rather melodramatic
Good anime is often emotional and grounded, and are feelings displayed with an intensity that is proportionate to the motivation and cause of those feelings. However, the drama in “Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” can be overwrought at times. It seems to forget that these characters have been through far more harrowing experiences, and the backstory for the new characters just doesn’t seem to warrant the sort of lengths that they go to at times.
“Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” is an exciting return to the “Sword Art Online” world.
Should you watch this at weekday ticket prices? Yes.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you’re a “Sword Art Online” fan.
Score: 3.0/5
“Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale” opens in cinemas:
– 23 February, 2017 (Singapore)
– 18 February, 2017 (Malaysia)
– 22 February, 2017 (Philippines)
Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (Golden Village Pictures)
Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter, having written for Police & Thief, Incredible Tales, Crimewatch, and Point of Entry. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.
