Buckle-Up For the Redline Review

The anime movie, Redline is an exhilarating racing anime by director Takeshi Koike. It's a science fiction story of breakneck racers that risk life and limb for a chance at fame in some of the most infamous, and dangerous, races in the entire universe. The main character is Sweet JP, sort of a 1950's greaser looking guy, with a smart mouth, who's only been able to maintain his racing status by working along with the mafia, which has caused him as much pain and suffering as it does fame.

The movie begins as JP attempts to win the preliminary race, called Yellowline, in order to qualify for Redline. The mafia, however, has asked that he throw the race. At the last moment, he declines their wishes, and tries to win. So, his crew chief, who prior to the race, planted a bomb on his car, goes ahead and blows it up, so he can't win, causing him to fail to qualify for Redline. Later, when the racers who qualify discover that Redline will be run on a militaristic robot world, most withdraw, so JP makes the cut anyway. Then, he and a few other racers, race across the harsh alien world all the while being bombarded by the robot military's best weaponry, which is extreme.

The truth is, this anime isn't much on plot, so if you're one to watch the types of movies that win Academy Awards, or possible films that have things like character development, inner meaning, or even movies that make sense in any way, shape or form, this is probably not for you. This movie is loaded with explosions, high speed racing, robots, aliens, violence, blood, crime, screaming, fighting, hot chicks, and lots of stuff that just goes boom all over the place.

This anime has some of the best, most exciting animation there's ever been. It is the kind of movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, if that's what you are interested in. From the opening sequence, to the final nonsensical explosive ending, it is nonstop. There is also a bit of romance. And along with the other nonsensical stuff in this movie, it also does not make a lot of sense. Main character smart talking guy, along with main character stuffy hot chick, and of course, by the end they kiss, but I'll be damned if I know why, other than that is what was supposed to happen with a smart talking male character, and a hot female character.

So, that's Redline in a nutshell--colorful explosive speed, with some of the most amazing animation there's ever been, along with not much story. If this sounds like your kind of thing, why not give it a try.

Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Pesky Librarians