Groundbreaking director Mamoru Oshii continues to push the boundaries of art and anime with this universally acclaimed cyber thriller following cyborg detective Batou as he tries to unravel the reasons for a murderous robot revolt in the year 2032. A quest for a killer that becomes a mind bending search for the meaning of life.
Praiseworthy for its concepts and aesthetics, yet it is too theory-heavy and action-shy, clumped with philosophical tangents and scholarly reference points.
– Lisa Rose,
Newark Star-Ledger,
23 Sep 2004
rotten:
The effect of so much pretension and so many lovely images eventually becomes soporific.
– Liam Lacey,
Globe and Mail,
29 Oct 2004
fresh:
Occasional passages of shell-cracking egghead overload aside, there's no getting past Innocence's astounding visual power.
– Geoff Pevere,
Toronto Star,
29 Oct 2004
fresh:
The elegance, attention to detail, the invention and expertise all ensure that the movie's never less than visually breathtaking.
– Geoff Andrew,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
fresh:
Mamoru Oshii's 2004 follow-up to his 1995 anime noir is that rare sequel that surpasses the original.