There’s an expression – “the uncanny valley” that I’ll admit I really don’t understand. It has something to do with objects and creatures that aren’t real but that look so real that it creates a distant, repulsive feeling in the viewer. That’s Alita, whose voice doesn’t quite match her body, whose super-human movements don’t obey the laws of physics, and whose eyes seem freakishly huge and focused. She’s a robot, for sure. But you have to wonder why her creators would treat her exactly like she's human knowing full well that she isn’t. Doesn’t that mean she doesn’t have free will if it has to be given to her?
The script and the story also contribute to this uncanny problem. If she had free will would she really choose to roller-skate competitively? There’s just something off about this. The tone, the themes, the pacing. It all feels rushed. Decisions were made to get to the action scenes as quickly as possible. And granted: they’re amazing. But they don’t really resonate emotionally because the whole thing feels like you’re watching somebody else play a video game. I can’t really define the uncanny valley. It’s hard to put your finger on it. There’s just something… off.
No comments:
Post a Comment