Plot: In a time loop during an alien invasion, a resourceful but isolated young woman must navigate the repetition of death until she crosses paths with a shy young man trapped in the same cycle. Together, they fight to break free from the loop.
Review: Without fail, one of the most requested sequels in Hollywood is a follow-up to Doug Liman’s 2014 alien invasion epic Edge of Tomorrow. The film, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, centers on a man fighting in a war against aliens who must relive the same day every time he dies until he can find a way to stop the enemy’s power source and break the cycle. Liman’s live-action version of the original story by Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka is at times an intense roller coaster ride of bullets, mystery, and dystopian mayhem, but as good as it is, the anime I just watched, directed by Ken’ichirô Akimoto and Yukinori Nakamura, is an even better adaptation of Sakurazaka’s brilliant and emotionally raw story.
Akimoto and Nakamura’s All You Need Is Kill, based on a screenplay by Yûichirô Kido and Hiroshi Sakurazaka, takes an alternate approach to Liman’s version by focusing on Rita, a young woman trapped in a time loop after an unidentified and massive plant from outer space known as “Darol” unleashes monstrous creatures that decimate the population. Following a mysterious surge of energy from “Darol,” Rita becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing her to relive the catastrophic events of the day when all of her friends and fellow soldiers die. As time passes, Rita utilizes her memories and experiences to refine her skills, transforming her into a formidable warrior.
The loop traps Rita in a Groundhog Day-like cycle of solitude and destruction as she faces her formidable foes in a seemingly endless cycle of demoralizing defeat. The repetitive presentation of the story hammers home the loneliness and futility of Rita’s self-appointed mission. Her body and mind are exhausted, yet she’s steadily becoming an unstoppable killing machine with each trip into the fray. Akimoto and Nakamura’s film digs deep into the emotional stress of Rita’s rattled brain and body. Every time she dies, it feels like another dagger to the soul. Some people say pain begins to lessen with repetition. I did not find that to be the case with All You Need Is Kill. Every time I heard Rita’s bones snap or blood spill from her broken body, I felt an intense sensation of frustration and defeat.
At some point, it feels like Rita is about to give up, just let everyone die a horrible death. What’s the point? Nothing she does changes anything. She’s faster, wiser, and learning, but it’s never enough. That is, until she meets Keiji, a young co-worker from her base who’s caught in the same loop, secretly admiring Rita from afar. Once Keiji is exposed, he and Rita share information and partner in the effort to defeat “Darol” and save the world. Finally, Rita isn’t alone anymore, giving her a restored sense of purpose and duty.
Together, Rita and Keiji form an unlikely bond that helps change the tide of their war against “Darol.” Their chemistry is nothing short of endearing, earned, and beautifully executed with heart and sincerity. Their relationship is the kind that adds depth to an already impressive display of artistry and emotion. That’s another thing about All You Need Is Kill: it’s drop-dead gorgeous. Studio 4°C goes above and beyond to put meticulous care into every frame of the film, making it a visual spectacle that spans the color spectrum and introduces mind-boggling topography. You can see and feel the influence of the studio’s past films, such as Tekkonkinkreet, Children of the Sea, and The Animatrix, in All You Need Is Kill, particularly in the characters’ angular features and fun-house mirror-like movements.
All You Need Is Kill also boasts a killer soundtrack. In fact, the rich soundscapes were among the first things I took note of aside from the stunning visuals. The movie features a theme song by AKASAKI, but the specific composers for the background score are not detailed online. Still, the score features atmospheric glitch pop, ambient loops of meditative melodies, and rousing overtures that amplify the action when it kicks into overdrive, amounting to one of the better soundtracks I’ve heard in an anime film in recent memory.
While fans of Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow impatiently wait for word about a sequel to his 2014 version of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s time travel epic, they could seek out All You Need Is Kill, an astonishingly breathtaking mix of hand-drawn and CGI animation that explodes in your eye sockets and tugs at your heartstrings as Rita and Keiji try time and again to discover a way to vanquish “Darol” and prevent the world from being overtaken by a hostile alien entity with no remorse.
