Gekijôban Kidou senshi Gandamu 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer

Japan • 2010 • 121m •

• Directed by: Seiji Mizushima. • Starring: Mamoru Miyano, Shin'ichirô Miki, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Hiroshi Kamiya, Youko Honna, Hiroki Touchi, Ayahi Takagaki, Haruka Tomatsu, Arisa Ogasawara, Minami Takayama, Kenji Hamada, Yûichi Nakamura, Yûji Ueda. • Music by: Kenji Kawai.

The year is 2314, two years after Setsuna F. Seiei defeated the Innovator Ribbons Almark. The world is starting to move toward peace, and other people around the world are beginning to Innovate. However, an abandoned probe which went on an expedition to Jupiter 130 years ago suddenly returns to Earth, though there appears to not carry any sign of life aboard. Soon after, Earth becomes the target of dangerous aliens called the Extraterrestrial Living-metal Shapeshifters (ELS), who have the ability to assimilate Earth's technology. Celestial Being returns to combat the alien invasion with humanity's fate hanging in the balance.

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The context of the movie is in the future, when man kind just started to expand to universe, while the recsource on earth grow slim as time pass by, conflict between nation and religions remains. The so called "Celestial Being" is a private arm force, which strive to eliminate the every source against harmonious within humanity. The world finally united into one from three political system of Union, Human reform league and AEU, with A-Law, the elite arm force that attempt to brutally eliminate every anti- government resistant shattered. Thanks to Celestial being's effort, and this is narrated in the two season of drama.

Behind the movie is fast paced, action packed 2hrs of movie, the quoted line is the idea that the movie really trying to deliver, so does the the Gundam sequel itself. In this movie, there are EPIC battle scene of man kind fighting against this taper shaped alien life form called ELS, and how the Gundam pilots and personal on every battle ship willing to sacrifice to seize the last remnant of hope for human survival. This huge setting makes the movie extremely visually appealing, where as the idea of "Peace cannot be achieved by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" is well delivered and concludes the sequel of Gundam 00.

In fact, this idea is not new to us. Plenty movie has already walked this path before. The most distinctive one is "the day when the earth stood still" casted by Keanu Reeves. Other films such as District 9 and Avatar also shares some sense of this idea, although not as obvious as the first one mentioned. Awakening of the Trailblazer is one of this kind in animation and it deserves and should have its name written on the chronicle of great films.

The ending is a bit vague but it is still understandable. (SPOILER ALERT) Misunderstanding is cleared as two races stops the battle and agree to share peace. However, The true intention of the alien requires more justification. If a new planet is what they seek, then termination of the earth invasion makes them getting nothing. If hovering in space is OK, then why looking for a planet? (SPOILER ENDS)

Overall, Awakening of the Trailblazer is a movie definitely worth watching. That is, no matter whether you have seen the two season of this drama, but the experience would be more enjoyable if you have.

Review by Pei Steven Wang from the Internet Movie Database.

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