The thing about 3D digital rendering, post-production visuals, and otherwise computer-generated imagery is that with rare exception they age rapidly and look worse the more we see of them. Sometimes the harder someone tries to immerse us in such visuals the worse the result is, and the best examples in and of themselves are either surprisingly detailed, bear some special mark of ingenuity, or are truly, absolutely the top of the line. In the early years of 3D animation the use was sometimes just for the novelty, or comes off that way in retrospect; occasionally there is an instance that is indeed notably more detailed and carefully crafted, and these are most welcome. In the case of 1984's 'Lensman' the CGI is a mix of both latter varieties, thusly ranging in the eyes of 2024 from "plain and unremarkable" to "hey, not bad," or even one late sequence that's unexpectedly smart. With that said, even if the 2D animation of the early to mid 80s isn't as wholly dazzling as what we'd see in the years to come, we see through the ardor of Madhouse the splendor that was intended with the 3D. Some aspects are less striking than others, and I think human character designs and animations leave a bit to be desired - but on the other hand, the backgrounds and environments are mostly outright beautiful, and other active elements like creatures and ships are most excellent. In much of the 2D we get the detail, texture, and color that's often missing from the 3D, plus sharp effects, action sequences, consideration for lighting and shading, and so on. Scrutinize the particulars as we may, by and large the visual experience is fantastic, just as we'd assume of anime of any era.
Other facets are more variable, perhaps, but more than not the results are just swell. I can't speak to the novels of E. E. Smith - if I'm being honest, I've never heard the name until I stumbled onto this picture - so I can't speak to the quality of the adaptation, but that does maybe give me more room to assess the title on its own merits. All these years later the plot may not stand out so much as we're given the hero's journey, replete with a MacGuffin and a small band of allies who will join him in combating an evil adversary; furthermore, at no few times it comes across that the saga is better about conveying broad ideas more than specific beats, leading to plot development that's somewhat patchy. That underlying story is nevertheless fairly solid enough, though, and more importantly, the plot is rounded out with a bounty of flavorful ideas and minutiae to capture the imagination, and lay the groundwork for the animators. And that's where the real value of the feature lies. An epic science fiction adventure is filled with exciting action, touches of both drama and humor, a panoply of non-human creatures and races, otherworldly settings, and everything else one could ever want from their genre fare. Some odds and ends are quite brilliant, for that matter, and the last act and the climax surely carry the most strength of all. Precisely how much one gets out of all this will vary from one person to the next, but 'Lensman' is above all a tale that wishes to entertain, and on one level or another I believe this ably achieves that goal. I'm definitely not saying that it's a must-see, but I had a pretty good time watching, and sometimes that's enough.
Sometimes the pacing of the storytelling seems a tad lax; some pieces of music are richer and more enticing than others. At no point is the sum total so grabbing or absorbing that we're likely to dwell on it after the end credits roll, and one might reasonably argue that the writing utilizes good ol' Movie Magic here and there rather than fleshing out a judicious and fully cohesive narrative. Critique this or that all we might, however, the fact remains that all told the film is firmly enjoyable. It may not be a foremost success for anyone involved, but it wanted only to be a fun lark, and that's all that some pictures need to be, with no mind for deeper themes or impact. Unless you're a diehard fan of someone involved or have some special impetus to watch you need not go out of your way for 'Lensman,' but if you're looking for something light and have the chance to watch then it's worth checking out.
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