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35 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
Conflicted feelings,is worth a rental., 11 August 2004
5/10
Author: veganflimgeek (David@vegsandiego.com) from San Diego, CA

Natural city

While Natural city gets often compared to blade runner, I think it is a comparison is not quite fair to Blade runner. Don't get me wrong I don't think NC is a bad movie, but it is not the ultra paranoid Phillip K dick style future noir. The film looks great and shows a dirty, unhappy view of korea's future like Blade runner.

I admit I got a little lost and bored at times but the film has great visuals and for the most part the story is a interesting take on cyborgs robots and the like. The gun battles and the various martial arts action scenes were well done(except for a minor overuse of Slo-Mo).

Worth a rental. If you're a Sci-FI addict it should be on your list.

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28 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Beautiful ..., 18 May 2005
8/10
Author: bart-117 from United States

I would put this as one of the most beautiful science fiction films ever made ...

As much as this is an homage to Blade Runner it also draws heavily from the Matrix and HK Cop films. Like a great hip hop record or a Tarantino film, it weaves familiar elements together in a way that not only seems fresh but gives you a new appreciation for the original sources.

One of the things I loved most about this movie was its look and in particular the way the CGI was integrated almost seamlessly with 'real' live action cinematography. As opposed to many western sci-fi movies, for example the new Star Wars movies or I, Robot where the actors are shot on a green screen and then composted over a completely synthetic background.

Natural City might use a shot of a cityscape and then drop in CGI elements like a craft flying over. They employ another technique which was used a lot in 70's scifi films like Logan's Run - inter cutting SFX scenes with live action that was just shot on real, futuristic-looking locations. This really balances out the artificiality of the effects and shows that a little can go a long way ...

The result is an extremely realistic look and feel to the movie. I believe that this is what the world could look like in 2080.

Natural City's only real flaw, in my eyes, is that it does tend to get slow in a few key spots. But every shot in this film is so gorgeous it's hard to know where they would cut.

All in all I really enjoyed this film and would highly recommend it.

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31 out of 41 people found the following comment useful :-
A lot better than expected, 20 February 2004
9/10
Author: Simon Booth from UK

Just watched NATURAL CITY, which I wasn't expecting to enjoy too much after most of the other Korean sci-fi "blockbuster" films of the past few years, but I do think this one is the pick of the litter.

It's an interesting and perhaps slightly muddled film, that mixes sci-fi spectacle and fantastic action scenes with a much more subtle and introspective side that's really the core of the film and probably befuddled the audience a lot. The cyborgs and mad scientists aren't really what the film is about, it's about the loneliness and detachment of the characters in a world where personal relationships have deteriorated even further than in our own. The fact that the acting is "wooden" is arguably deliberate, as the characters have no real emotional lives. It's a bit like Stephen Spielberg directing a Wong Kar Wai script... or vice versa... or something :p There's some Mamoru Oshii in there too.

8/10

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35 out of 54 people found the following comment useful :-
Not as bad as some reviewers claim and definitely should score higher., 6 January 2005
Author: dennisyoon from Washington DC

Did you know that George Lucas was inspired to make "Star Wars" from a Japanese film called "Hidden Fortress"? Bet some of the reviewers here didn't. Why get all bent out of shape when the person who made "Blade Runner" did the same thing. Every film maker is inspired by someone else's work.

OK, the action and visuals are nice. The characters are very mechanical and they don't go deep into them so the movie seemed more focused on action and CGI. There were some slow spots between the action and the characters really didn't pull me in much. Yes, there is plenty of borrowing from Blade Runner but it didn't bother me much. Hollywood borrows plenty as well. I don't get upset about it. Without sampling there would be no Hip-Hop or Star Wars.

If you like action, sci-fi, and CGI and don't need a lot of character development, give it a go.

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16 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Not too bad at all...., 5 May 2004
Author: jay_carton from belfast

..... in fact, a lot better than expected. I watched both trailers before the movie to see if it looked any good, and it did. It looked stunning, just a bit empty. On watching it, i found it to be very accomplished, it put most Hollywood films to shame. In saying that, though, there really aren't any US equivalents to this. Yeah, it borrows from plenty of other movies, but none of them would be so daring or have such a sombre tone. This is quite bleak and nasty stuff. Highly recommended, just don't expect a happy ending or any humour. If great, Blade Runner-style visuals are your thing, you'll find plenty to enjoy. Four out of five.

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18 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
Bladerunner Korean style?, 21 November 2003
5/10
Author: Yiannis Patrikos (yanpat@compupress.gr)

I saw a screening of this film recently at the Milan Fair and I'm inclined to say that, while it was rather interesting, I would not suggest it to anyone but hardcore fans of SF. In a way the concept is reminiscent of Bladerunner: The (male) officer of law falling for the (female) cyborg/clone/android that has an 'expiration date', while on the other hand, he is fighting the rebellious cyborgs/clones/androids. There are a number of twists in the plot that add interest, the photography is very good, the acting is fine and the action scenes are typical Asian. All in all, quite interesting but not fulfilling...

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21 out of 34 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent film, 2 May 2005
Author: Matt Stephenson from Orlando, FL, United States

I don't understand the low rating of this picture.

THIS is what science fiction SHOULD be!!! Too much sci-fi has become pretty people in black PVC or leather bondage gear blowing things up in 360 slow-mo. Natural City actually sits back and tells a tells a story without bludgeoning us with Matrix-lite effects.

This is as much a sad tale of love denied as it is a renegade cop, a cyborg, a "hooker with(out) a heart of gold" and the military-industrial complex of a the future.

YES, the story is derivative of Blade Runner. Most, if not all, sci-fi of today is derivative of either Blade Runner, Mad Max or 1984. Move on. Enjoy the good stuff when it happens.

LOVED the fact that they did not stomp all over the subtleties of this movie with the standard industrial metal soundtrack that is de riguer in much sci-fi. The piano score was haunting and kept us grounded in R's sorrow for his pending loss.

Come into Natural City with an open mind and no Blade Runner hang-ups and you will be rewarded with a very good film. Not since Minority Report have we seen sci-fi done with this much respect paid to thinking grown ups.

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10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Futuristic eye-candy, 9 July 2007
Author: sheenafilm from Hamburg, Germany

I read through the reviews here before I watched it and didn't know what to expect: a classic or a bummer? In my view, the truth is in the middle and the average vote of currently 5.8 seems justified. "Natural City" is by no means a movie on the "Blade Runner" level. Take away the futuristic eye-candy, and what is left? A man is in love with a cyborg lady without really telling us why, how or what for. Real character development is not happening! He gets in a conflict with his friend over the cyborgs which leads to gratuitous violence with faces covered in blood like in a million action flicks before. Meanwhile, a girl plants flowers in a roof garden to provide a contrast to the post-war destruction scenery around. "Natural City" doesn't really have any new ideas, it simply spices up the collection of familiar trade marks with "Matrix/Equilibrium Next Generation" visuals which is fine for web 2.0 designers but not for the art of film making. Everybody who truly believes this is going to be a classic should go watch "Soylent Green" where it was the actors and the story that mattered.

Still, "Natural City" is a movie that has its touching or stunning moments. Actually, I liked that explanations were not provided in many cases. One might argue whether it is a deliberate attempt to open it for interpretation or simply plot holes. But I think, if we once really caught a glimpse of the year 2080, there would be much that we won't comprehend, either. You know how silly SF movies of the 1950s seem today because they applied manners, moral standards and ways of conversation that are outdated. In this respect, I'm curious what people will think of "Natural City" in the future. Keep it in the archive.

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10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
kick ass spells differently, 24 May 2004
Author: kNokkTuRn0o from Antilles

so i was watching NATURAL CITY the other night... and right from the beginning it smelled like Blade Runner, Equilibrium & Returner. So far, not so bad and thats what this movie is all about: its "not so bad".

set in a futuristic Korea its the story of a special forces officer falling for an artificial girl whose chip is about to expire. as we watch NATURAL CITY, we witness his attempt to fixing the "expiration matter" while having the worst days of his life at work (mind you, he is eliminating replicants for a living).

i wont go more indepths as the rest of the story is as thin as ice & i don't wanna spoil too much. for most fans of the korean action cinema this flick definitely was a slight letdown- and its getting apparent to everybody watching the flick..... as there is nothing we aint seen before.

on the positive side NATURAL CITY offers decent acting, above average cinematography, some tense sequences (god knows, i prayed for more of them) and subliminal impulses to have a thought or two bout what the director may have wanted us to reflect upon. a good 60 % rate would be appropriate, I'd say.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprised me…that's for sure - Better than the score on here, 5 July 2004
Author: Splattii from A Region Free World

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Well…I didn't expect this at all. The effects and images seen in this film rival most Hollywood films. I was really, REALLY surprised with the quality of the effects. The fight scenes were nice, although they reminded me of the matrix. It's not a bad thing, and in many ways I liked them more as the matrix was more about the slo-mo than the actual moves being made. I just wish there were more fight scenes….

**Spoiler** I actually liked this film, but they really shot themselves in the foot when they concentrated on the love aspect or the loneliness of the main character. I understand and respect the underlying story here, but it was just too much. I was really hoping for a lot after seeing the first couple of action sequences, and I think if they would have somehow stuck more to the action this film would have received a lot higher score. The story was still good, but a little too drawn out in the wrong areas.

I am glad I saw this film, and I thought it was a good attempt. I just wish they would have left some of the romance for harlequin ;)

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