For me, the world of Alita: Battle Angel is one of the most interesting sci-fi dystopias ever. Since the end of the great war, the earth has been reduced to rubble and ashes. Places like Iron City are one of the last remaining sanctuaries. Here life Humans and cyborgs in the trash of the sky city of Zalem. Only those who achieve extraordinary things, such as fighting their way to the top in the life-threatening motorball competitions, can climb the ranks. Anyone who still has enough organic body parts to pass as a human quickly loses their humanity.
In this world, Alita (Rosa Salazar) is reactivated, a cyborg girl whose remains date back to the time of the great war and who is capable of a legendary fighting technique. She seems the only one who can stand up to Zalem’s oppression – but first she has to find out who she is with the help of friends like cyberdoctor Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz).
The gloomy vision of the future negotiates identity and humanity in times of complete social collapse and creates at the same time unexpected technological horror visions. You can currently stream it on Disney+ with a subscription *. And yet: film fans haven’t even seen the most abysmal thing in this world.
The sci-fi movie missed 2 disturbing elements of the manga template – and calls for a sequel
Alita: Battle Angel is one Adaptation of the Japanese manga series Gunnm, which appeared in German-speaking countries in the early 2000s as Battle Angel Alita. The film focuses on the first four volumes of the manga and therefore mainly shows Alita’s “origin story” and her growing anger against the powerful in Zalem. Two aspects that gave me goosebumps when it was presented are therefore missing. Slight spoilers for the manga series follow.
The true nature of the cruel genius Desty Nova
The character does appear in the film (played by Edward Norton), but primarily through his subordinates who stand in Alita’s way. We primarily hear his voice, we only see him clearly at the end of the film. In the manga, Desty Nova is a genius scientist who conducts experiments on humans and made himself virtually immortal through nanotechnology.
A scene from Volume 8 of the manga has stuck in my mind for over 20 years: When Nova’s son Kaos visits his father’s den, he discovers a horse carousel – albeit with live animals galloping in circles with expressions contorted in pain and terror. Like wooden carousel horses, thick sticks are stuck in their bodies to hold them in place. One of the animals finally tears itself free from the post, but collapses after a few steps and bleeds to death in front of Kaos’ eyes.
Nova is amused by the animal’s “stupidity” which should have just kept running in circles. And in the subsequent argument with his horrified son, he reveals how morally degenerate he really is as a character. A scene from a nightmare.
Brutal sci-fi dystopia: The film also shows Alita as an impressive fighter
Alita: Battle Angel – Clip Ambush Alley (English) HD
Endjoy: The most disturbing aspect of life in Zalem
In the ninth volume of the manga series, Alita comes across a strange house in a park. People enter it but can’t get out. Her companion explains to her: It is the so-called Endjoy, a kind of device with the help of which people can commit suicide to soothing music.
The notion that a medical authority is a publicly available suicide machine erected is disturbing enough. I got really sick when the manga specified how people die here: When Alita destroys the facility, she pulls a huge bloody grinder out of the ground.
Will we see these aspects of the template in Alita: Battle Angel 2? Not unlikely. Producer Jon Landau last fueled new hopes for a continuation of the sci-fi story at the end of 2022. Nova is also already established – and with Edward Norton occupied by an actor who has hardly allowed himself to be cast for only a relatively small guest appearance.
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