Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez. Starring Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Jackie Earle Haley, Lana Condor, Jeff Fahey. [PG-13]

In the 26th century, scientist Waltz finds a broken cyborg with a 300-year-old intact brain in a junk heap and rebuilds it with a new body modeled after his deceased daughter. The new creation, Alita (Salazar), weirdly behaves like a teenage girl—and even crushes on a cyborg scrapper named Hugo (Johnson)—but proves to have whirlwind combat mastery and pursues occupation as a bounty hunter. Long-gestating adaptation of a 1990s manga called “Gunnm” has plenty to look at but very little that lingers; there’s visual energy to spare in the fight scenes and high-tech roller derby horseplay, but character development is limited and the romance lacks weight and chemistry. Storytelling issues abound, from its clunky world-building to its rushed (and barely existent) third act that just sort of…ends. Salazar is an appealing heroine, though the decision to give her large, anime-style eyes is often distracting. Director Rodriguez brings his expected flair for camera movements and sporadic visceral excitement, but little else bears his quirky stamp or identity. Edward Norton has a cameo.

53/100