In the future, the supercomputer Dorothy controls the world. Seeing the human race as dangerous creatures, Dorothy has decided to end human life. In her efforts to recreate the world in her image, she has created the Galerians. A young boy named Rion awakens to the voice of a girl calling out to him for help. He finds that he is in a lab and he has no memories of who he is or how he got there. Wielding incredible psychic powers with little control and no memory to go on, Rion steps into a harsh world to find the mysterious girl and uncover the mysteries within himself. Unbeknownst to Rion, he is humanity's last hope against Dorothy and the Galerians.
The plot is mostly similar to the video games, specifically Galerians: Ash. In fact, while the plot has some differences if you've played Galerians: Ash you know most of what's to come in this film. However, Galerians: Rion should not be considered a carbon-copy of it’s video game predecessors. The script really succeeds in pulling you behind Rion. He isn’t a hero who awakens to the call of duty and he isn’t some badass loner kicking in doors. Rion is a 14-year-old boy who is confused, scared, and alone. He doesn't know where his parents are, how he ended up in a lab, and why he has psychic powers and he just wants to find someplace safe where he can figure things out. That's quite a difficult thing to do when he's being hunted by Galerians at every turn. He also develops well overtime. At first he is scared and confused and he wants answers. After he learns about Lilia, he wants to meet her, after meeting her he wants to help her save the world. Rion does this unconditionally and without too much hesitation even though he knows the odds are against him.
The movie has elements of horror more specifically its dark and dreary environments that could make even the most outdoorsy person an agoraphobic. From a lab right out of Frankenstein, to a mansion that gives off serious Amityville vibes, and a futuristic city where every step takes our characters to the wrong side of the tracks and you'd be right to think that the setting is an antagonist in its own right. The outdoor environments with the exception of maybe two scenes, are always dark and are either choked by gray skies or drowned by darkness and rain. Also, people are an element eerily missing from the movie. This is used superbly well and gives the feel that Rion is alone in the world. Each and every scene gives you a dark and moody feeling and some may be even a little frightened to see around the next bend. This does add a unique dimension to the story because it helps to convey that no matter where Rion goes he is never safe. The same could be said of humans because as long as Dorothy controls the network no one is safe from her. We see the story from Rion's perspective and we can see his fears and suspicions on display in almost every scene, due in no small part to his awareness of this reality.
The voice actors did an acceptable job but Dave Wittenberg and Lia Sargent deserve special mention for their standout performances. These two have been in the voice acting business for sometime and are known more for their work in anime. They bring their expertise to Galerians: Rion and the quality shines. Dave Wittenberg really put his best foot forward for Rion and he really portrays Rion's emotional highs and lows exceedingly well. It's nice to see he didn't fall back on the cliche of portraying a 14-year-old as bratty or immature but rather, Wittenberg really seemed to understand what kind of character Rion is and he really got that across in his performance. Lia Sargent plays a minor role as the Galerian Rita. Though her part is minimal, she too captures the feel of her character. Sargent’s soft voice is a perfect fit for Rita because her voice and appearance betray her high level of power. Rita doesn’t come off as the type of girl who would set a man on fire in a heartbeat but she is. Sargent’s voice and experience really make Rita shine. Initially, Jim Taggert’s voice for Birdman will seem alien and just wrong, but that’s probably how Birdman is and it's probably fitting that Birdman's voice is every bit as strange as he is himself.
In keeping with the games, the movie explores the relationship between Galerians and humans but it does so in a more personal manner by keeping Rion at the center of these interactions. Apart from his psychic powers, Rion isn’t altogether abnormal. In all other respects, he seems like any other 14-year-old kid. Although Lilia is initially, somehow, unaware that Rion is a Galerian, the two get along and trust each other completely. Interestingly enough, it is Rion’s fellow Galerians who seem to want to kill him on-sight. This could be attributed to the fact that the Galerians are under Dorothy’s orders whom they see as ‘Mother.’ The Galerians don’t seem to be forced to follow Dorothy but they do appear to be mentally and emotionally dependent upon the machine.
I was thoroughly captivated by this film and it kept me interested from beginning to end. The CG is very good for its time and the soundtrack is excellent. I have to give the movie some additional points because even though I was familiar with the games, the movie still served as a unique entry in the Galerians universe. If you're looking for a good CG film to pick up this is one of them. You can actually buy this on Amazon for less than five dollars which is a steal for a movie this good.
- Jetstream Rev
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