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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great, but Freeze-frames Detract :-(, September 20, 2003
This review is from: You're Under Arrest - The Motion Picture (DVD)
I was quite surprised at just how dark and gloomy You're Under Arrest!: The Motion Picture is compared with the upbeat and funny situations of the OAV series and the Specials that I had seen from the series previously. While "purists" of the series will likely balk at the dark overtones (which are highly prevalent even in the scenes which take place in broad daylight), all the "negativity" and the terrorizing of Tokyo actually works quite well, with the series' penchant for comedy coming through at just the right moments for brief levity. Overall, the storyline is excellent. Mystery, drama, and action are all interwoven into a beautiful narrative which is absolutely enthralling. Yet while prior knowledge of the You're Under Arrest! series would certainly be beneficial for the viewer, such familiarity with the series is definitely not needed... although the viewer may then wonder about why certain over-the-top feats take place in various scenes. Where the film fails greatly, however, is in the occasional use of freeze-frames in key, high-action moments. Given that non-theatrical anime is typically produced under a very stringent time schedule and with a sub-par budget, cost-cutting tactics such as reusing scenes (such as the transformation scenes in any magical girl anime) or using freeze-frames to cut down on the number of animation cels (and the time to create them) is not surprising. But for a theatrical-release anime which inherently receives a higher budget and (at least in theory) more time for production to achieve the higher level of quality viewers expect in a theatrical release, the use of freeze-frames is this film's major pitfall. The freeze-frame concept works well for comedy, such as A-ko jumping from missile to missing in Project A-ko; the freeze-frame concept to highlight a high-action/high-drama moment fails miserably, at least in this film. The freeze-frame fiasco aside, You're Under Arrest!: The Motion Picture is definitely not the stereotypical anime offering available in the States. Although this is really not meant for young children, they could probably enjoy this as well. While female characters are VERY prominent in the film, they are not super-endowed or fetishized or denigrated in any way. Nothing is gratuitous in this film, although some of the action is definitely over-the-top. And perhaps most importantly, the flow of the film is so natural and engrossing that it almost feels "real..." at least, until a freeze-frame occurs. Overall, this is a definite must-see film for any anime enthusiast, and a good place to start for those wishing to learn about anime.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Arresting Development, December 28, 2007
This review is from: You're Under Arrest - The Motion Picture (DVD)
A little action, a little comedy, a little drama, and a solid story wrapped up in some very fine animation makes "You're Under Arrest: The Movie" enticing to watch and own. Though more serious with an overall darker tone as compared to the light-hearted tv series, the movie paces itself with the antics of the police partner duo Miyuki and Natsumi yet stays like that at best. The crisp animation of the actions sequences and theatrical aura will give viewers a ride for their money but the abrupt red lights in the form of brow-raising still frames leave goers bewildered and dazed. Though sparce and lasting only a second or two, they appear in the midst of heated action sequences and temporarily suspend you in your seat and cut off interest until the moment passes. The storyline itself is intriguing and pushes the series towards an interesting direction. However, the 90mins doesn't allow for the story to develop much and sink in. Things often seem too rushed and the end leaves a bitter sweet satisfaction. In terms of audio, the 5.1 Surround Sound makes listening a breeze. Good not great. The movie has great potential but doesn't bring in the thrill viewers are accustomed to watching from the series. Overall, it's still worth having and you'll find yourself eyeing it once in a while.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not the same 'Slice of Life', but highly enjoyable nonetheless..., May 14, 2007
This review is from: You're Under Arrest - The Motion Picture (DVD)
In the YUA movie, it's important to consider it's release some time after--long after--both seasons of the television show and the original OVA. It's fairly apparent that the creators made an effort to broaden it's appeal from something of a niche market for tech-heavy, light fanservice comedies, turning out what is far more seriously-minded than any of the previous material. That being said, it's very entertaining, with animation that's superb compared to the rather visually-disappointing first and second seasons of the TV series, with good voice acting and a steady pace of plot. This isn't a cliched shoot-'em-up cop movie--if you want to see people die horribly in gunfights, you're not going to like this (or the rest of YUA, for that matter). In this regard, it does stay true to the material, though it's not the same slice-of-life sort of script that defined the show. However, even if you're not a YUA fan, so long as you're patient and willing to pay attention to detail and a complex plot, you should enjoy this. Not for lazy watchers. An additional note--I based this review on the 'remastered' version--distinguished by its later release and black and blue DVD (rather than red and orange) case art. The video transfer is noticeably better on this version, so if you have a choice, definitely grab the later.
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