Avery and Alec saw Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time a while back, and both are now sharing their thoughts on it.
SPOILER ALERT
Avery's Review
Review
This movie, as far as I can see, has three goals. The first is to redeem Yu-Gi-Oh! feature films. The second is to appeal to authors of fan fiction. The third, and most important, is to allow Konami executives to cash checks with lots of zeros on them. This movie accomplishes two of these goals.
But first, how can Bonds Beyond Time even be considered a feature film? With a running time of only forty-nine minutes, unless you count the catchphrase-laden introduction, the movie comes nowhere near in length to such actual feature films as Gone With the Wind and Titanic. But maybe those aren't the best to compare it to. Even Pokemon films tend to be at least seventy minutes or so. Even so, the movie should make up for that with its plot and duels. It doesn’t.
Yusei Fudo, in the midst, or even prior to, first engaging in battle with the Three Emperors of Yliaster, gets his Stardust Dragon stolen from him by the time-traveling, and appropriately named, antagonist, Paradox. Somehow, Yusei manages to go back in time on his D-Wheel and pick up Jaden Yuki. Then, he continues on to Domino City where he and Jaden run into Yugi Muto. With the three protagonists then assembled, they do what anyone else would do while trying to prevent their futures from disappearing. They play a card game.
Not only do they play a card game, and not only do they, as always, ignore many of the game’s rules, but Jaden and Yugi are both only given one turn. While the duel is going on, Yusei’s companions in the future are watching their world crumble. It’s a bit saddening that this was the only way Takahashi could find to write in their characters.
The duel, the plot, and the execution are all horrible. Yusei also, through his mark, magically gains the ability to see and talk to duel spirits, as he responds to Yubel and Banner. Anyway, the jokes, mostly unintentional, are great. The jokes that are intentional, for the most part, work. The rest of the humor is fueled by the huge plot gaps, and it becomes an inferno of laughter when any of the characters so much as mumble their respective catchphrase.
The 3D in this movie looks as if it was just thrown in a blender. The entire quality of the actual film looks grainy at times, like someone tried to take a VHS and cram it into a Blu-Ray player, except Konami's attempt doesn't work quite as well. There are some parts that the 3D helps with, but overall, the movie does not utilize the 3D to it's full potential.
I’ll give the movie a 2/5. That’s probably too high of a rating, but I was laughing during the movie, at the expense of the movie itself. Had I not had glimpses of my favorite characters (Yusei’s friends) I would certainly give this what it truly deserves, a 1. But the humor allows for a 2. In the end, my 2 is a bit lopsided toward a 1. Poor indecisive numbers.
Overall, the film achieves its primary goal of fattening the pockets of Takahashi and Konami. The movie sold vast amounts of tickets, cards, and DVD’s. If I’m not mistaken the film was re-released in theaters in Japan once or twice, even. The only really good thing about this movie besides the humor and free card is the fact that its story is canon to the anime.
Even though the original Yu-Gi-Oh! feature film, Pyramid of Light, was by no means an instant classic, at least it was somewhat consistent, if memory serves. I would recommend it over Bonds Beyond Time, as you’re likely to finish Bonds before you even get all your popcorn popped.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Alec's Review
Review
I LOL'd the whole time! It made me get my game on and rev it up at the same time! Grandpa got some new lazer eye surgery done as well!
Rating: π out of 5
FINAL SCORE:
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| For Anyone Not A Die-Hard Fan |
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| For Die-Hard Fans |
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