Considering the impact one of the best anime series of the latest years had internationally, the ending of the series was not bound to be the finale of the franchise. As such, the creators of the series opted for a compilation movie of the last two episodes, in its first-ever theatrical entry. “Attack on Titan: The Last Attack” in a re-edited version featuring enhanced visuals and a 5.1ch surround sound mix, all compiled into a 145-minute feature film.
Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK is coming to theatres for one-day-only on February 10 in North America. Check for tickets here
After the last season brought the whole story into perspective, and particularly the fact that the events of the present are parts of a millennium long history, the set is prepared for an all out battle involving every character that has survived so far. As such, the Rumbling, directed by Eren, aims at destroying all humanity outside the Paradise Island, with the Colossal Titans killing countless people, including Ramzi and his brother and Grisha’s parents, and destroying civilizations all over the world. Meanwhile, the ship carrying the scouts and warriors arrive at Odiha. Thinking her father is already dead, Annie decides to stay behind on the ship with Gabi, Falco, Yelena, and the Azumabito, while the remaining warriors, scouts, and Onyankopon take the flying boat to stop Eren and the Beast Titan.
As mentioned in the review of the previous part of the season, the story has truly gone off the rails, becoming rather convoluted but most of all, not meeting the expectations the initial seasons “provided” to the audience of the series. This approach becomes even more annoying with an almost desperate effort to make Eren appear as a good guy, despite his genocidal plans, both by hinting that his plan may aim at something else, and by also having the rest of the characters, the ‘good guys’ mentioning how much butchering they have done in their own stead.
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On the other hand, the inclusion of the parents of some of the protagonists and the regret they feel for setting their kids on a path of revenge, is quite appealing to watch, and along with the fact that you never know who of the protagonists will end up dead, considering how many of them died in the past, carries the season, at least in contextual terms. The somewhat realistic ending regarding the end of war also moves into the same direction, while providing an ending that even if not that satisfying, definitely offers some closure.
However, where the film truly moves beyond the series is the scene after the end credits, where the three main characters, in modern attire, are presented as spectators of the film on cinema, discussing it as true film buffs. In this unusual style of breaking the fourth wall, one can essentially find some kind of justification from the creators about how the series ended, as phrases like “you don’t need to fully understand something in order to appreciate it” are heard.
Apart from this, the action, which was already brilliant in the final episodes, is even better here, with the editing adding even more speed and the new sound working impressively. The animation by MAPPA definitely thrives on the speed of the characters during the battles, both heroes and villains, with the appearance of a new form of titans also working well in that regard. The same applies to the existence of the huge one, who actually provides the setting for most of the battles, while the flying titan adds yet another level to the action, similar to air combat. The continuous sacrifice of Reiner is also excellently portrayed, with him looking more and more rugged as the battles continue, while the movement of the Scouts is as impressive as ever. Furthermore, the fact that some additional main characters do die once more, adds a very appealing sense of drama to the whole thing.
Tomohiro Kishi and Akihito Sudo‘s character design is also on a very high level, with the details on both humans and Titans being rather high, and the majority of the characters differing significantly from each other, with the same applying to the non-protagonists. The white titans on the other hand seem a bit lazy in their depiction, with the fact that they are fodder being quite evident from the get go. The backgrounds are impressive on occasion, both in drawing and coloring, with this aspect actually finding its apogee in the aftermath of the battle.
“Attack on Titan: The Last Attack” definitely improves the finale of the series, even if mildly through the improved production values and the aforementioned scene, in a movie that is to be enjoyed on the big screen, and will definitely find its audience among the plethora of fans of the series.